Free-arm canopy, particularly for sun and rain protection

Abstract

A free arm standing parasol comprises a mast, on which an arm with its end of the arm facing towards mast is guided extendably and retractably via a mast slide and is thereby held by a supporting element between the arm and mast while the end of the arm facing away from the mast carries a parasol part with a crown, the parasol part comprising main struts which are radially hinged to the crown and associated supporting struts which are hinged to a corresponding main strut and a parasol slider. The parasol part is connected, via actuating organs, to a drive unit at the mast, a first actuating organ being connected to the mast slide via first deflection rollers for moving the mast slide up and down across a first functional distance, and a second actuating organ being coupled to the actuating organ via an action coupling and being connected to the parasol slider via second deflection rollers for moving the parasol slider across a second functional distance. To improve operability and stability, it is proposed that the second actuating organ be provided with a transmission unit configured in such manner that the first functional distance and the second functional distance have different lengths.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention relates to a free arm standing parasol, particularly for sun and rain protection.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A free arm standing parasol of this type is known from EP 0 741 531 B1. This parasol comprises a functionality for the simultaneous extension and retraction of the arm while simultaneously opening or closing the umbrella part. As shown in FIG. 3, a first actuating organ 84 leads to the guiding slide 72 to which the arm 10 is pivotally connected, while the second actuating organ 26 is coupled to organ 84 and is guided along the mast 6 via the connecting strut 18 and the arm 10 to the slider (rosette) 42, which opens and closes the parasol part by lifting or lowering via the actuating organ 26. The guiding slide 72 and the slider 42 travel identical distances. A further disclosure is shown in EP 1 250 065: A parasol according to FIGS. 2 and 3 has an actuating organ 20 for extending and retracting of the arm 6 which extends along the mast to the mast slide 8, with a rope pull 30 being attached to the mast foot and coupled via a deflection roller in the mast slide with actuating organ 20 and extending through the arm to the slider. Also in this case the result is an identical distance of the functional path. Extension and retraction of the arm and opening or closing of the parasol part occur in a simultaneous manner. U.S. Pat. No. 6,321,763 Ma Joen Shen discloses in FIG. 8 a free arm standing parasol with simultaneous extension of the arm via a first actuating organ 25 coupled to the mast slide 14 and simultaneous opening of the parasol by a second actuating organ 26 having a fix point 29 at the mast and coupled via roller 30 and further guide to the parasol slider 21. The drive 16 consists of a primary drive wheel 44 which drives on the one hand the rope spool 45 for lifting the mast slide 14 and on the other hand the rope spool 46 for lowering the mast slide 14. Nothing is disclosed regarding a compensation of the rope turns in the case of countercurrent winding and unwinding. The travel lengths of the two actuating organs 25 and 26 are identical.

Disadvantages of the prior art are, in particular: a risk of collision between the canopy struts and the table surfaces during the opening and closing process of large parasols as a result of the closed height being too low, particularly in the case of canopies with non circular shapes, a large power requirement for the actuation and an insufficient wind stability caused by too short supports of the canopy struts.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the invention is thus to propose a free arm standing parasol of the above-mentioned type, which is able to overcome the above identified weaknesses of the prior art.

The object of the invention is achieved by a free arm standing parasol.

In the free arm standing parasol according to the present invention, the parasol part is connected, via actuating organs, to a drive unit at the mast, a first actuating organ being connected to the mast slide via first deflection rollers for moving the mast slide across a first functional distance. A second actuating organ is coupled to the first actuating organ via an action coupling and is connected to the parasol slider via second deflection rollers for moving the parasol slider across a second functional distance. The fact that the second actuating organ is provided with a transmission unit configured in such manner that the first functional distance and the second functional distance are different, leads in particular to the following advantages.

By raising the starting position of the closed parasol part including the arm and the canopy cover, the difference in height of the positions of the center of gravity in the closed and in the open parasol is reduced. This results in an energy saving effect for actuating the parasol and prevents the risk of collision between the ends of the canopy struts and any tables located below. In order to allow for the necessary travel distance of the slider for a broad support of the canopy struts, the parasol according to the present invention comprises a transmission unit for extending the functional path of the parasol slide.

In principle, there are different forms of implementation for the translation unit. In one embodiment, the transmission unit is configured as a pulley. In this manner, a transmission ratio which is determined by the number of roller pairs acting in the pulley and, accordingly, a ratio between the first and second functional distance can be set up. In further embodiments the transmission unit is configured as a mechanical gear. In particular, it can be designed as a toothed gear or as a two-stage cable spool. In principle, the transmission unit can be integrated into the second actuating organ at any advantageous position.

Similarly, there are various embodiments for the guiding path of the second actuating organ. According to one embodiment the second actuating organ is guided from the action coupling along the mast, supporting element and arm to the slider. In a further embodiment the second actuating organ is guided from a fixing point at the mast via a deflection roller at the mast slide along the arm to the parasol slider.

According to one embodiment of the drive unit the latter is configured as a gear with two rope spools, with a first rope spool being provided for lifting the mast slide and a second rope spool being provided for lowering the mast slide.

In a further embodiment the first actuating organ comprises a counterpull rope for lowering the mast slide. Advantageously a tension spring is provided for stretching the counterpull rope.

The aforementioned elements as well as those claimed and described in the following exemplary embodiments, to be used according to the invention, are not subject to any particular conditions by way of exclusion in terms of their size, shape, use of material and technical design, with the result that the selection criteria known in the respective field of application can be used without restrictions.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further details, advantages and features of the object of the present invention will become apparent from the following description and the corresponding drawings, in which the free arm standing parasol according to the present invention is illustrated by way of example. In the drawings, there is shown, in:

FIG. 1 a first embodiment of a free arm standing parasol in the open state and extended arm, as an overall view, in a sectional view;

FIG. 2 a detail view of the mast of FIG. 1 with a drive unit, in a sectional view;

FIG. 3 a detail view of the mast slide of FIG. 1, in a sectional view;

FIG. 4 a detail view of the arm with a parasol part of FIG. 1, in a sectional view;

FIG. 5 an overall view of the free arm standing parasol of FIG. 1, in the closed state and with retracted arm, in a sectional view, including a view of the first and second functional distances;

FIG. 6 a detail view of the mast slide of FIG. 5, in a sectional view;

FIG. 7 a second embodiment of a free arm standing parasol in the open state and extended arm, as an overall view, in a sectional view;

FIG. 8a a detail view of a mechanical transmission unit of the free arm standing parasol of FIG. 7, in a vertical sectional view; and,

FIG. 8b a detail view of a mechanical transmission unit of the free arm standing parasol of FIG. 7, in a horizontal sectional view.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

As can be seen from the figures, the free arm standing parasol comprises a standing mast 1 with an arm 2, which is guided with its end of the arm facing towards the mast 2.1 via a height-adjustable mast slide 4 and which is held in position by a pivotable supporting element 3 disposed between the mast 1 and the arm 2. The mast slide 4 can be extended and retracted across a first functional distance 4.1. The arm 2 carries at its end 2.3 facing away from the mast 1 a parasol part 5 having canopy 5.8 made of a flexible flat material, which canopy is carried by main struts 5.2 radially attached to crown 5.1 and by supporting struts 5.3 attached to height-adjustable parasol slider 5.5.

For extending or retracting of the arm 2 and for opening or closing of the umbrella part 5 an advantageously self-locking drive unit 6 with a hand crank 6.1 and/or motor drive is installed into the mast 1. Depending on the requirements, the drive unit 6 is provided with a gear 6.3 stepping-up or stepping-down the driving speed. A closed circulating toothed pulley 6.6 or a pull rope 6.7 serves as the first actuating organ 6.5 for the mast slide 4. If the circulating member is not closed, a counterpull rope 6.9 can be inserted for the mast slide 4.

In order to simultaneously actuate the parasol slider 5.5 for opening and closing the parasol part 5, a second actuating organ 7, for example a rope pull, is directly or indirectly coupled with the first actuating organ 6.5 by way of an action coupling 6.8. As a result, the parasol slider can be moved across a second second functional distance 5.7.

In a first embodiment according to FIGS. 1 to 6, the second actuating organ 7 is fixed with its one end 7.1 below the slide 4 at the mast 1 and it is guided into the arm 2 via a deflection roller 7.2 at the mast slide 4. In order to achieve the necessary travel height of the slider 5.5 for a broad support of the canopy struts 5.2 of the parasol part 5, the second actuating organ 7 is provided with a transmission unit 8, e.g. with a pulley 8.1. For this purpose, attached to the rope pull 7 there is a pulley roll 8.2 over which pulley rope 8.3 is guided, which pulley rope is attached, at one end thereof, to a fixing point 8.4 at the end of arm 2.3 and which carries, at the other end thereof, the parasol slider 5.5 over the deflection roller 5.6.

The transmission unit 8 is configured in such manner that the first functional distance 4.1 and the second functional distance 5.7 have different lengths.

In a second embodiment according to FIGS. 7 and 8, the second actuating organ 7 coupled to the transmission unit 8 is connected to the first actuating organ 6.5 at the action coupling 6.8 in the interior of the mast and is connected via deflection rollers from the mast 1 via the supporting element of the arm 3 and, within arm 2, with the pulley roll 8.2 of the transmission unit 8, which establishes a larger travel for the parasol slider 5.5 than for the mast slide 4.

FIG. 8 shows a variant in which the transmission unit 8 is configured as a mechanical gear with a double rope spool with different diameters. The drive rope spool 8.6 is anchored with its axis 8.5 to the arm 2 and is tightly connected to the end of rope pull 7 facing away from the mast 7.3. The drive rope spool 8.7 has a larger diameter and is fixedly connected to the parasol slider rope 8.8. This results in a different travel distance for the parasol slider than that of the mast slide 4. Alternatively, according to a non-depicted embodiment, the transmission unit can be configured as a gear with teeth, which allows more precise graduations of the differing travel distances.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

• 1 Mast
• 2 Arm
• 2.1 end of the arm facing towards the mast
• 2.3 end of the arm facing away from the mast
• 3 supporting element between arm and mast
• 4 mast slide
• 4.1 first functional distance for the mast slide
• 5 parasol part
• 5.1 crown
• 5.2 main struts
• 5.3 supporting struts
• 5.5 parasol slider
• 5.6 deflection roller at crown 5.1
• 5.7 second functional distance for parasol slider
• 5.8 canopy surface
• 6 drive unit
• 6.1 hand crank
• 6.3 reducer gear
• 6.5 first actuating organ
• 6.6 circulating toothed pulley
• 6.7 pull rope to the mast slide
• 6.8 coupling position of the actuating organs (action coupling)
• 6.9 counterpull rope
• 6.10 tension spring to the counterpull rope
• 7 second actuating organ, rope pull
• 7.1 end of the rope pull at the mast side
• 7.2 deflection roller at the mast slide 4
• 7.3 end of the rope pull 7 facing away from the mast
• 8 transmission unit
• 8.1 pulley
• 8.2 pulley roll
• 8.3 pulley rope
• 8.4 fixing point of the pulley rope end
• 8.5 axis of drive rope spool
• 8.6 drive rope spool
• 8.7 drive rope spool
• 8.8 parasol slider rope

Claims

1. A free arm standing parasol having a mast on which an arm with its end of the arm facing towards the mast is guided extendably and retractably via a mast slide and is thereby held by a supporting element between the arm and the mast while the end of the arm facing away from the mast carries a parasol part with a crown, the parasol part which are radially hinged to the crown and associated supporting struts which are hinged to a corresponding main strut and a parasol slider the parasol part being connected, via actuating organs, to a drive unit the mast, a first actuating organ being connected to the mast slide via first deflection rollers for moving the mast slide up and down across a first functional distance, and a second actuating organ being coupled to the first actuating organ via an action coupling and being connected to the parasol slider via second deflection rollers for moving the parasol slider across a second functional distance characterized in that

the second actuating organ is provided with a transmission unit configured in such manner that the first functional distance and the second functional distance have different lengths.

2. The free arm standing parasol according to claim 1, characterized in that the transmission unit is configured as a pulley.

3. The free arm standing parasol according to claim 1, characterized in that the transmission unit is configured as a toothed gear.

4. The free arm standing parasol according to claim 1, characterized in that the transmission unit is designed as a two-stage cable spool.

5. The free arm standing parasol according to claim 1, characterized in that the second actuating organ is guided from the action coupling along the mast, supporting element and arm to the slider.

6. The free arm standing parasol according to claim 1, characterized in that the second actuating organ is guided from a fixing point at the mast via a deflection roller at the mast slide along the arm to the parasol slider.

7. The free arm standing parasol according to claim 1, characterized in that the drive unit is configured as a gear with two rope spools, with a first rope spool being provided for lifting the mast slide and a second rope spool being provided for lowering the mast slide.

8. The free arm standing parasol according to claim 1, characterized in that the first actuating organ comprises a counterpull rope for lowering the mast slide.

9. The free arm standing parasol according to claim 8, characterized in that a tension spring is provided for stretching the counterpull rope.

10. The free arm standing parasol according to claim 2, characterized in that the second actuating organ is guided from the action coupling along the mast, supporting element and arm to the slider.

11. The free arm standing parasol according to claim 3, characterized in that the second actuating organ is guided from the action coupling along the mast, supporting element and arm to the slider.

12. The free arm standing parasol according to claim 4, characterized in that the second actuating organ is guided from the action coupling along the mast, supporting element and arm to the slider.

13. The free arm standing parasol according to claim 2, characterized in that the second actuating organ is guided from a fixing point at the mast via a deflection roller at the mast slide along the arm to the parasol slider.

14. The free arm standing parasol according to claim 3, characterized in that the second actuating organ is guided from a fixing point at the mast via a deflection roller at the mast slide along the arm to the parasol slider.

15. The free arm standing parasol according to claim 4, characterized in that the second actuating organ is guided from a fixing point at the mast via a deflection roller at the mast slide along the arm to the parasol slider.

16. The free arm standing parasol according to claim 2, characterized in that the drive unit is configured as a gear with two rope spools, with a first rope spool being provided for lifting the mast slide and a second rope spool being provided for lowering the mast slide.

17. The free arm standing parasol according to claim 3, characterized in that the drive unit is configured as a gear with two rope spools, with a first rope spool being provided for lifting the mast slide and a second rope spool being provided for lowering the mast slide.

18. The free arm standing parasol according to claim 4, characterized in that the drive unit is configured as a gear with two rope spools, with a first rope spool being provided for lifting the mast slide and a second rope spool being provided for lowering the mast slide.

19. The free arm standing parasol according to claim 5, characterized in that the drive unit is configured as a gear with two rope spools, with a first rope spool being provided for lifting the mast slide and a second rope spool being provided for lowering the mast slide.

20. The free arm standing parasol according to claim 6, characterized in that the drive unit is configured as a gear with two rope spools, with a first rope spool being provided for lifting the mast slide and a second rope spool being provided for lowering the mast slide.