Auto-collapsible umbrella

Abstract

An auto-collapsible umbrella has a control unit installed in a handle, a folding unit provided at a top of an intermediate tube, and an unfolding unit provided beneath a top hub. For opening the umbrella, the intermediate tube and an outer tube are pushed upwards and positioned to compress an ejection spring and a return spring. Thereafter, the control unit is pressed to release the ejection spring between an intermediate hub and a lower hub to unfold ribs of the umbrella. For folding the umbrella, the control unit is pressed further to release the return spring to retract the outer tube, the intermediate hub, the lower hub and the intermediate tube and fold the ribs.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An auto-collapsible umbrella comprising: 
 a handle ( 1 );    an inner tube ( 11 ) securely installed in the handle ( 1 ) and having a channel ( 110 ) defined through a periphery of the inner tube ( 11 ) inside the handle ( 1 ) and a first ball ( 111 ) movably mounted adjacent to a top end of the inner tube ( 11 );    a control unit ( 20 ) having a button ( 21 ) operatively mounted in the handle ( 1 ), a movable pole ( 22 ) received in the inner tube ( 11 ) located in the handle ( 1 ), a stop sheet ( 211 ) formed on the button ( 21 ) and transversally extending through the inner tube ( 11 ), a first finger ( 215 ) formed beneath the stop sheet ( 211 ) and transversally extending towards the inner tube ( 11 ) and substantially corresponding to the first finger ( 215 ), a hole ( 212 ) defined through the stop sheet ( 211 ) with a diameter slightly larger than an inner diameter of the inner tube ( 11 ), a first resilient member ( 213 ) provided in the handle ( 1 ) and at the side of the stop sheet ( 211 ) opposite to the button ( 21 ) for pushing the stop sheet ( 211 ) to partially locate in the inner tube ( 11 ) to block the movable pole ( 22 ), a second resilient member ( 23 ) attached between a bottom of the movable pole ( 22 ) and a bottom end of the inner tube ( 11 ), a first cord ( 24 ) having a lower end attached to a top of the movable pole ( 22 ), and a second finger ( 222 ) transversally provided in the movable pole ( 22 ) and pushed by a third resilient member ( 221 ) to movably locate in the channel ( 110 );    an intermediate tube ( 12 ) movably provided outside the inner tube ( 11 ) and having a first ball hole ( 121 ) defined therethrough for receiving the first ball ( 111 ) to position the inner tube ( 11 ) about the intermediate tube ( 12 ) and a recess ( 122 ) defined in an upper portion of the intermediate tube ( 12 );    an unfolding unit ( 30 ) having a sleeve ( 31 ) received in the recess ( 122 ) and supported by a spring ( 32 ) under the sleeve ( 31 ), two slots ( 311 ,  312 ) longitudinally defined through a periphery of the sleeve ( 31 ), wherein a first pin ( 33 ) is radially inserted through the first slot ( 311 ) and the intermediate tube ( 12 ), and a protrusion ( 313 ) is formed at an inner wall around the second slot ( 312 ), a head ( 314 ) with a chamfer ( 315 ) formed at a top of the sleeve ( 31 ) and extending out from the intermediate tube ( 12 ), an upper end of the first cord ( 24 ) extending through the intermediate tube ( 12 ) and the sleeve ( 31 ) and attached to the head ( 314 ), a second ball ( 316 ) provided on an inner wall of the intermediate tube ( 12 ) by a spring leaf ( 317 ), a second pin ( 319 ) form on the second ball ( 316 ) and extending through the second slot ( 312 ), and a tab ( 318 ), which can be pushed by the protrusion ( 313 ), formed at a distal end of the second pin ( 319 );    an outer tube ( 13 ) movably provided outside the intermediate tube ( 12 ) and having a second ball hole ( 131 ) for receiving the second ball ( 316 ), and a positioning hole ( 133 ) above the second ball hole ( 131 );    an upper hub ( 14 ) securely mounted at a top end of the outer tube ( 13 );    an intermediate hub ( 15 ) movably provided outside the outer tube ( 13 ) and having a third pin ( 152 ), which can extend through the positioning hole ( 133 ) of the outer tube ( 13 ), provided in the intermediate hub ( 15 ) and pushed by a fourth resilient member ( 151 ) transversally towards the outer tube ( 13 ) a lower hub ( 16 ) movably provided outside the outer tube ( 13 ) and beneath the intermediate hub ( 15 ) and having an ejection spring ( 17 ) provided between the lower hub ( 16 ) and the intermediate hub ( 15 ); and    a folding unit ( 40 ) provided outside the outer tube ( 13 ) and beneath the top hub ( 14 ) and having two upper pulleys ( 41 ) respectively provided in the upper hub ( 14 ) and the outer tube ( 13 ), a lower pulley ( 42 ) provided in the inner tube ( 11 ), a ring ( 43 ) movably provided outside the outer tube ( 13 ) and above the intermediate hub ( 15 ), a return spring ( 45 ) provided between the upper hub ( 14 ) and the ring ( 43 ), and a second cord ( 46 ) in turn extending through one upper pulley ( 41 ), the lower pulley ( 42 ), and the other upper pulley ( 41 ) and attached to the ring ( 43 ).    
     
     
         2 . The collapsible umbrella as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the ring ( 43 ) has two rollers ( 44 ) provided therein, and the second cord ( 46 ) has two ends respectively attached to the rollers ( 44 ).