Automatic umbrella

Abstract

An automatic umbrella has an electric motor, nose, and gear assembly which rides up or down the interior of the handle/body of the umbrella on threading/gearing on the interior of the umbrella shaft. As the traveler assembly rises the ribs hingedly connected to the traveler extend through notches or slots in the end of the umbrella, until the nose extends out the end and the ribs actually swing downwards. Motion of the ribs is controlled by a pin or guide on the side of the notch which cooperates with the shaped sides of the umbrella ribs. The nose acts to tension the canopy in the deployed position. The traveler may move due to a rotating gear engaging the threaded inside surface of a tubular body, or the tubular body may be rotated (preferably within an outer housing) and the traveler forced upward by the motion.

1 . An umbrella comprising:
 an elongated handle having an elongated interior space therein, the elongated handle being internally threaded and having upper and lower ends;   a traveler disposed within the elongated interior space, the traveler having an electric motor operatively connected to a gear, the gear being disposed in operative engagement with the internal threading of the elongated handle;   a plurality of ribs secured to the traveler in a hinged fashion, the plurality of ribs extending from the traveler in the direction of the upper end of the elongated handle; and   a canopy attached to the plurality of ribs.   
   
   
       2 . The umbrella of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a battery in operative electrical connection with the electric motor.   
   
   
       3 . The umbrella of  claim 1 , where in the traveler further comprises:
 a nose at the upper end of the traveler.   
   
   
       4 . The umbrella of  claim 3 , wherein the nose further comprises:
 a plurality of nose grooves aligned with the plurality of ribs and as deep as the ribs.   
   
   
       5 . The umbrella of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a plurality of apertures at the upper end of the elongated handle, the apertures aligned with the plurality of ribs, the ribs passing through respective apertures.   
   
   
       6 . The umbrella of  claim 5 , wherein the plurality of apertures further comprise:
 a plurality of notches.   
   
   
       7 . The umbrella of  claim 5 , wherein the plurality of apertures further comprise:
 a plurality of guides disposed in the plurality of apertures and operatively engaged to the respective ribs passing therethrough.   
   
   
       8 . The umbrella of  claim 7 , wherein the plurality of ribs further comprise:
 shaped sides, the plurality of guides operatively engaged to the respective ribs at the shaped sides.   
   
   
       9 . The umbrella of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a control having three positions, a first position in which no electrical current is supplied to the electrical motor, a second position in which a first polarity electrical current is supplied to the electrical motor, and a third position in which a reversed second polarity electrical current is supplied to the electrical motor.   
   
   
       10 . The umbrella of  claim 3 , wherein the nose of the traveler projects from the upper end of the traveler and contacts and tensions the canopy when the traveler is in a first position. 
   
   
       11 . An umbrella comprising:
 an elongated handle having an elongated interior space therein, the elongated handle having upper and lower ends, the elongated handle having a plurality of apertures at the upper end, each one of the plurality of apertures having one guide portion;   a traveler disposed within the elongated interior space;   a plurality of ribs secured to the traveler in a hinged fashion, the plurality of ribs extending from the traveler in the direction of the upper end of the elongated handle and passing through respective ones of the plurality of apertures, the ribs having a shaped side operatively engaged to the guide portion of the respective aperture; and   a canopy attached to the plurality of ribs.   
   
   
       12 . An umbrella comprising:
 a handle having an elongated outer housing thereon, the elongated outer housing having a first interior space;   an inner sleeve disposed within the first interior space of the outer housing, the inner sleeve having a second interior space, the second interior space being internally threaded/geared and having upper and lower ends;   a traveler disposed within the second interior space, a plurality of ribs secured to the traveler in a hinged fashion, the plurality of ribs extending from the traveler in the direction of the upper end of the elongated handle;   a canopy attached to the plurality of ribs; and   an electric motor connected to the inner sleeve.   
   
   
       13 . The umbrella of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 a plurality of apertures at the upper end of the elongated outer housing, the apertures aligned with the plurality of ribs, the ribs passing through respective apertures.   
   
   
       14 . The umbrella of  claim 13 , wherein the plurality of apertures further comprise:
 a plurality of notches.   
   
   
       15 . The umbrella of  claim 13 , wherein the plurality of apertures further comprise:
 a plurality of guides disposed in the plurality of apertures and operatively engaged to the respective ribs passing therethrough.   
   
   
       16 . The umbrella of  claim 15 , wherein the plurality of ribs further comprise:
 shaped sides, the plurality of guides operatively engaged to the respective ribs at the shaped sides.   
   
   
       17 . The umbrella of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 a battery in operative electrical connection with the electric motor.