Automatically-collapsible multi-folded umbrella

Abstract

An umbrella includes a central post consisting of multiple tubular segments telescopically connected to each other. A crown set at an upper end and carrying an upper pulley and a runner slidably fit over the central post and carrying a lower pulley. A pulley cable has an upper section extending around the pulleys and fixed to the crown and a lower rigid section carrying a fixer that is movably receive in a handle and forms locking slots engageable by a switch control device. A spring is arranged between the crown and the fixer to apply a spring force to maintain the umbrella in an open condition. Each tubular segment of the central post has a lower end to which a protection sheath is mounted for finger protection.

1 . An automatically-collapsible multi-folded umbrella comprising a multi-segment central post, a plurality of umbrella-collapsing springs, a plurality of rib units coupled to the umbrella-collapsing springs and supporting a canopy, a handle to which the central post is inserted and fixed, an umbrella-collapsing button, wherein the central post comprises a tension spring functioning to telescope the central post and a pull cable received therein, the tension spring being fixed to upper and lower ends of the central post, the pull cable extending through the tension spring and having an upper end extending around an upper pulley pivotally mounted to a pulley seat of the central post and projecting outward to extend around a lower pulley fixed to a runner and further extending back into and fixed to a crown, the pull cable having a lower section forming a rigid wire section connected to a fixer, a switch control device arranged inside the handle to cooperate with actuation of the umbrella-collapsing button to selectively locking/releasing the fixer, whereby when the runner is driven upward to force the rib units to open the canopy, the segments of the central post are sequentially expanded upward and tension the tension spring, the fixer that is provided at a lower end of the pull cable engages and is thus locked by the switch control device, an upper end of the pull cable extending around the upper pulley and tightly hold and thus fix the runner, preventing the runner from sliding down and thus maintaining an expanded condition of the umbrella; and when the umbrella-collapsing button is actuated to operate the switch control device to release the fixer, the pull cable is freed from being tensioned to allow the runner to slide down and the rib units are collapsed as being acted upon by the umbrella-collapsing springs, making the segments of the central post sequentially telescoped to complete automatic collapsing of the umbrella. 
   
   
       2 . The automatically-collapsible multi-folded umbrella according to  claim 1 , wherein the switch control device comprises a longitudinally-arranged block-like control element that has a middle section pivotally fixed inside the handle, a lower end extending inward to form a locking segment, and an upper end extending to form a depression segment engageable with the umbrella-collapsing button, a return spring being arranged and thus providing a biasing force between the locking segment and an inside wall of the handle, the fixer forming a locking slot corresponding to and engageable with the locking segment. 
   
   
       3 . The automatically-collapsible multi-folded umbrella according to  claim 2 , wherein the fixer forms a plurality of locking slots corresponding to and selectively engageable with the locking segment. 
   
   
       4 . The automatically-collapsible multi-folded umbrella according to  claim 1 , wherein an inner plug that forms a side opening is fit to the lower end of the central post located inside the handle in such a way to allow the fixer to which the rigid wire section of the pull cable connected to the fixer to be received and movable up and down therein. 
   
   
       5 . The automatically-collapsible multi-folded umbrella according to  claim 2 , wherein an inner plug that forms a side opening is fit to the lower end of the central post located inside the handle in such a way to allow the fixer to which the rigid wire section of the pull cable connected to the fixer to be received and movable up and down therein. 
   
   
       6 . The automatically-collapsible multi-folded umbrella according to  claim 3 , wherein an inner plug that forms a side opening is fit to the lower end of the central post located inside the handle in such a way to allow the fixer to which the rigid wire section of the pull cable connected to the fixer to be received and movable up and down therein. 
   
   
       7 . The automatically-collapsible multi-folded umbrella according to  claim 1 , wherein the runner has a lower section having an outer circumference around which a layer of soft material is formed for hand jamming protection. 
   
   
       8 . The automatically-collapsible multi-folded umbrella according to  claim 2 , wherein the runner has a lower section having an outer circumference around which a layer of soft material is formed for hand jamming protection. 
   
   
       9 . The automatically-collapsible multi-folded umbrella according to  claim 3 , wherein the runner has a lower section having an outer circumference around which a layer of soft material is formed for hand jamming protection. 
   
   
       10 . The automatically-collapsible multi-folded umbrella according to  claim 1 , wherein each rib unit comprises, in sequence from inside, an inner rib pivotally connected to the crown, at least one intermediate rib, an outer rib, a stretcher connected to a middle section of the inner rib and having an inner end pivoted to the runner, a link bar connected between the intermediate rib and the stretcher, a flexible bar coupled to the intermediate rib and having opposite ends respectively and pivotally connected to an inner end of the outer rib and an outer end of the inner rib, and a respective one of the umbrella-collapsing springs connected between the inner rib and the link bar. 
   
   
       11 . The automatically-collapsible multi-folded umbrella according to  claim 2 , wherein each rib unit comprises, in sequence from inside, an inner rib pivotally connected to the crown, at least one intermediate rib, an outer rib, a stretcher connected to a middle section of the inner rib and having an inner end pivoted to the runner, a link bar connected between the intermediate rib and the stretcher, a flexible bar coupled to the intermediate rib and having opposite ends respectively and pivotally connected to an inner end of the outer rib and an outer end of the inner rib, and a respective one of the umbrella-collapsing springs connected between the inner rib and the link bar. 
   
   
       12 . The automatically-collapsible multi-folded umbrella according to  claim 3 , wherein each rib unit comprises, in sequence from inside, an inner rib pivotally connected to the crown, at least one intermediate rib, an outer rib, a stretcher connected to a middle section of the inner rib and having an inner end pivoted to the runner, a link bar connected between the intermediate rib and the stretcher, a flexible bar coupled to the intermediate rib and having opposite ends respectively and pivotally connected to an inner end of the outer rib and an outer end of the inner rib, and a respective one of the umbrella-collapsing springs connected between the inner rib and the link bar. 
   
   
       13 . The automatically-collapsible multi-folded umbrella according to  claim 1 , wherein an outer segment of two adjacent telescopically connected segments of the central post has a lower end to which a protection sheath is mounted for hand jamming protection. 
   
   
       14 . The automatically-collapsible multi-folded umbrella according to  claim 2 , wherein an outer segment of two adjacent telescopically connected segments of the central post has a lower end to which a protection sheath is mounted for hand jamming protection. 
   
   
       15 . The automatically-collapsible multi-folded umbrella according to  claim 3 , wherein an outer segment of two adjacent telescopically connected segments of the central post has a lower end to which a protection sheath is mounted for hand jamming protection. 
   
   
       16 . The automatically-collapsible multi-folded umbrella according to  claim 1 , wherein an inner segment of two adjacent telescopically connected segments of the central post has an upper end to which a positioning plug is mounted, the positioning plug forming a recessed chamber receiving and fixing therein a resilient assembly that comprises a positioner block biased by a spring to engage a positioning hole defined in an outer segment of the two telescopically connected segments to secure the segments in an expanded condition of the central post, the positioning plug being recessed at a portion opposite to the chamber to form a passage for the pull cable and the tension spring. 
   
   
       17 . The automatically-collapsible multi-folded umbrella according to  claim 16 , wherein the resilient assembly comprises a W-shaped leaf spring comprising two V-shaped branches abutting against an inside wall of the positioning plug and a connection section between the V-shaped branches biasing the positioner block. 
   
   
       18 . The automatically-collapsible multi-folded umbrella according to  claim 2 , wherein an inner segment of two adjacent telescopically connected segments of the central post has an upper end to which a positioning plug is mounted, the positioning plug forming a recessed chamber receiving and fixing therein a resilient assembly that comprises a positioner block biased by a spring to engage a positioning hole defined in an outer segment of the two telescopically connected segments to secure the segments in an expanded condition of the central post, the positioning plug being recessed at a portion opposite to the chamber to form a passage for the pull cable and the tension spring. 
   
   
       19 . The automatically-collapsible multi-folded umbrella according to  claim 18 , wherein the resilient assembly comprises a W-shaped leaf spring comprising two V-shaped branches abutting against an inside wall of the positioning plug and a connection section between the V-shaped branches biasing the positioner block. 
   
   
       20 . The automatically-collapsible multi-folded umbrella according to  claim 3 , wherein an inner segment of two adjacent telescopically connected segments of the central post has an upper end to which a positioning plug is mounted, the positioning plug forming a recessed chamber receiving and fixing therein a resilient assembly that comprises a positioner block biased by a spring to engage a positioning hole defined in an outer segment of the two telescopically connected segments to secure the segments in an expanded condition of the central post, the positioning plug being recessed at a portion opposite to the chamber to form a passage for the pull cable and the tension spring. 
   
   
       21 . The automatically-collapsible multi-folded umbrella according to  claim 20 , wherein the resilient assembly comprises a W-shaped leaf spring comprising two V-shaped branches abutting against an inside wall of the positioning plug and a connection section between the V-shaped branches biasing the positioner block.