Title:

Parasol with rechargeable battery device

United States Patent Application 20030000559

Kind Code:

A1

Abstract:

A parasol includes a shank, a rib assembly, a light collecting member, a converting circuit, and a rechargeable battery device. The rib assembly is mounted on an upper portion of the shank, and has a canopy mounted thereon. The light collecting member is mounted on the shank, and is used to receive sunlight and to collect solar energy. The converting circuit is mounted on the shank, is coupled electrically to the light collecting member, and is operable so as to convert the solar energy collected by the light collecting member into electrical energy. The rechargeable battery device is mounted on the shank, is coupled electrically to the converting circuit, and is charged by the electrical energy from the converting circuit.

Inventors:

Wu, Hung-ming (Chiayi Hsien, TW)

Application Number:

09/895374

Publication Date:

01/02/2003

Filing Date:

06/29/2001

Export Citation:

Click for automatic bibliography generation

Assignee:

WU HUNG-MING

Primary Class:

135/16

Other Classes:

362/102

International Classes:

A45B3/04; F21V33/00; F21S9/03; F21V23/04; H02J7/35; (IPC1-7): A45B3/02; A63B15/02

View Patent Images:

Download PDF 20030000559

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Primary Examiner:

THOMPSON, HUGH B

Attorney, Agent or Firm:

Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP - West Coast (Atlanta, GA, US)

Claims:

I claim:

1. A parasol comprising: a shank having a lower portion adapted to be mounted on a ground surface, and an upper portion opposite to said lower portion; a rib assembly mounted on said upper portion of said shank and having a canopy mounted thereon; a light collecting member, mounted on said shank, for receiving sunlight and for collecting solar energy; a converting circuit mounted on said shank and coupled electrically to said light collecting member, said converting circuit being operable so as to convert the solar energy collected by said light collecting member into electrical energy; and a rechargeable battery device mounted on said shank and coupled electrically to said converting circuit, said rechargeable battery device being charged by the electrical energy from said converting circuit.

2. The parasol of claim 1, further comprising a lamp unit, mounted on said shank and coupled electrically to said rechargeable battery device, for generating a light output.

3. The parasol of claim 2, further comprising a sensor device mounted on said shank and coupled electrically to said lamp unit, said sensor device being adapted to sense ambient light conditions and activating said lamp unit according to the ambient light conditions sensed thereby.

4. The parasol of claim 1, further comprising an auxiliary battery unit coupled electrically to said rechargeable battery device.

5. The parasol of claim 1, further comprising a load housing mounted on said upper portion of said shank, said rib assembly being connected to said load housing, said light collecting member being mounted on said load housing, said converting circuit being disposed in said load housing, said shank being hollow and having said rechargeable battery device mounted therein.

6. The parasol of claim 5, wherein said load housing includes a transparent container part having a closed bottom end mounted on said upper portion of said shank, and an open top end, and a cover part mounted on said open top end of said transparent container part, said parasol further comprising a lamp unit mounted in said load housing and coupled electrically to said rechargeable battery device, said lamp unit being operable so as to generate a light output.

7. The parasol of claim 6, further comprising a sensor device that includes an ambient light sensor mounted on said cover part, and a control circuit coupled electrically to said ambient light sensor and said lamp unit, said ambient light sensor being adapted to sense ambient light conditions and generating a control signal corresponding to the ambient light conditions sensed thereby, said control circuit controlling activation of said lamp unit in response to the control signal received thereby from said ambient light sensor.

8. The parasol of claim 7, wherein said ambient light sensor is a light sensitive resistor.

9. The parasol of claim 5, further comprising an auxiliary battery unit coupled electrically to said rechargeable battery device and disposed externally of said shank.

Description:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The invention relates to a parasol, particularly to one with a rechargeable battery device.

[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art

[0004] The conventional parasol is generally designed to provide protection against sunlight and rain, and is not capable of supplying electrical power to an electrical load.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] Therefore, the main object of the present invention is to provide a parasol with a rechargeable battery device for supplying electrical power to an electrical load.

[0006] Accordingly, a parasol of this invention comprises a shank, a rib assembly, a light collecting member, a converting circuit, and a rechargeable battery device. The shank has a lower portion adapted to be mounted on a ground surface, and an upper portion opposite to the lower portion. The rib assembly is mounted on the upper portion of the shank, and has a canopy mounted thereon. The light collecting member is mounted on the shank, and is used to receive sunlight and to collect solar energy. The converting circuit is mounted on the shank, is coupled electrically to the light collecting member, and is operable so as to convert the solar energy collected by the light collecting member into electrical energy. The rechargeable battery device is mounted on the shank, is coupled electrically to the converting circuit, and is charged by the electrical energy from the converting circuit.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0007] Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:

[0008] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of a parasol according to the present invention;

[0009] FIG. 2 is a fragmentary partly sectional view of the preferred embodiment; and

[0010] FIG. 3 is a schematic circuit block diagram of the preferred embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0011] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the preferred embodiment of a parasol 100 according to the present invention is shown to comprise a shank 1, a rib assembly 12, a light collecting member 2, a converting circuit 3, a rechargeable battery device 4, an auxiliary battery unit 5, a lamp unit 6, and a sensor device 7. The shank 1 is hollow, has a lower portion 101 adapted to be mounted on a ground surface, and an upper portion 102 opposite to the lower portion 101. A load housing 13 is mounted threadedly on the upper portion 102 of the shank 1, and includes a transparent container part 131 and a cover part 132. The transparent container part 131 has an open top end 1312 and a closed bottom end 1311 mounted on the upper portion 102 of the shank 1. The cover part 132 is mounted on the open top end 1312 of the transparent container part 131.

[0012] The rib assembly 12 is connected to the load housing 13 for mounting the same on the upper portion 102 of the shank 1, and has a canopy 121 mounted thereon.

[0013] The light collecting member 2 is mounted on an outer side of the cover part 132 of the load housing 13 for receiving sunlight and for collecting solar energy, and includes a light collecting plate 21. Since the construction and operating principle of the light collecting plate 21 are known in the art, a detailed description of the light collecting plate 21 will be dispensed with herein for the sake of brevity.

[0014] The converting circuit 3 is mounted on an inner side of the cover part 132 so as to be disposed in the load housing 13 of the shank 1, is coupled electrically to the light collecting member 2 via wires (not shown ), and is operable so as to convert the solar energy collected by the light collecting member 2 into electrical energy.

[0015] The rechargeable battery device 4 is mounted in the shank 1, and has an input end 41 and an output end 42. The input end 41 is coupled electrically to the converting circuit 3 by means of conductive wires (not shown ) in the shank 1, and is charged by the electrical energy from the converting circuit 3. The output end 42 is used for providing an electrical output.

[0016] The auxiliary battery unit 5, which is rechargeable in the preferred embodiment, is coupled electrically to the rechargeable battery device 4, is used to store more electrical energy, and is disposed near the lower portion 101 and externally of the shank 1. The lamp unit 6 is mounted on the bottom end 1311 of the container part 131 of the load housing 13, includes a light bulb 61, and is coupled electrically to the output end 42 of the rechargeable battery device 4. As such, the light bulb 61 can operate to emit light. The sensor device 7 is mounted on the cover part 132 of the load housing 13, and couples electrically the output end 42 of the rechargeable battery device 4 to the lamp unit 6. The sensor device 7 includes an ambient light sensor 71 and a control circuit 72. In this embodiment, the ambient light sensor 71 is a light sensitive resistor exposed to the exterior of the load housing 13. Preferably, the control circuit 72 and the converting circuit 3 are mounted on a single circuit board 1321, which in turn is mounted on the inner side of the cover part 132. The ambient light sensor 71 is adapted to sense ambient light conditions, and generates a control signal corresponding to the ambient light conditions sensed thereby in a known manner. The control circuit 72 is coupled electrically to the ambient light sensor 71, and activates the light bulb 61 of the lamp unit 6 in response to the control signal received thereby from the ambient light sensor 71.

[0017] With further reference to FIG. 3, in use, the light collecting member 2 collects the solar energy during daytime, and the collected solar energy is converted into electrical energy by the converting circuit 3. The electrical energy is stored in the rechargeable battery device 4 and the auxiliary battery unit 5. The sensor device 7 activates the lamp unit 6 according to the ambient light conditions sensed thereby.

[0018] The auxiliary battery unit 5 is optional in the parasol of this invention. Furthermore, an electrical socket (not shown ) can be connected electrically to the rechargeable battery device 4 and the auxiliary battery unit 5 to permit the supply of electrical power to other electrical appliances, such as radios and electric fans.

[0019] While the present invention has been described in connection with what is considered the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is understood that this invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiment but is intended to cover various arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent arrangements.

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