Push-button operated extendable handle assembly for an umbrella

Abstract

A push-button operated extendable handle assembly for opening and closing a canopy of an umbrella includes a primary shell member which is movable axially relative to a secondary shell member secured to a handle-side end of a tubular shaft of the umbrella, an upper pushing unit disposed to be operated to release a runner from a lowermost position to an uppermost position for opening the canopy, and a lower pushing unit disposed to be operated to release the runner from the uppermost position to the lowermost position for closing the canopy. The primary shell member is actuated through a transmitting mechanism to move between non-stretched and stretched positions when the runner is moved between the lowermost and uppermost positions for facilitating gripping of the handle assembly in a state of use, and for facilitating carrying and storage of the umbrella in a state of non-use.

1 . A push-button operated extendable handle assembly for opening and closing a canopy of an umbrella, the umbrella including
 a tubular shaft having handle-side and top-side ends opposite to each other along an axis, and a runner sliding segment interposed between the handle-side and top-side ends;   a runner sleeved on and slidable along the runner sliding segment between uppermost and lowermost positions which are proximate to and distal from the top-side end, respectively, and which correspond to opened and closed positions of the canopy, respectively;   a tubular plunger which is sleeved on the runner sliding segment, and which extends from the runner along the axis to terminate at a tubular plunging end that is descendable with the runner towards the handle-side end when the runner slides toward the lowermost position, said tubular plunger having a retaining hole; and   a catch member disposed in the tubular shaft, and having an actuated end in the runner sliding segment and proximate to the handle-side end, and a hook end which is opposite to the actuated end, and which extends outwardly of the tubular shaft, the catch member being configured such that the hook end is urged by a biasing force to counteract the gravity of the runner so as to hold the runner in the uppermost position and such that, once the actuated end is actuated against the biasing force, the tubular plunging end descends towards the handle-side end,   
     said push-button operated extendable handle assembly comprising:
 a primary shell member including a bottom mounting wall having a periphery and adapted to confront the handle-side end along the axis, and primary left and right walls which are spaced apart from each other in a transverse direction relative to the axis, and which extend from said periphery to terminate at primary left and right upper edges, respectively, so as to define a stretching path therebetween and along the axis, said primary left and right walls having left and right latching slots, respectively; 
 a thrust transmitting member which includes a rammed end adapted to be thrusted by the tubular plunging end so as to displace from a lifted position, where the tubular plunging end is remote from said rammed end, to a depressed position, where said rammed end is engaged with the tubular plunging end, a depressing end that is opposite to said rammed end along the axis, and an actuating intermediate segment that is interposed between said rammed end and said depressing end, and that descends with said depressing end along the stretching path; 
 a first biasing member disposed to bias said rammed end towards the lifted position; 
 left and right latch members, each including a pushed end which is forced by said actuating intermediate segment to be movable in the transverse direction between heavily and lightly pressed positions that are distal from and proximate to the axis, respectively, when said rammed end is moved between the depressed position and the lifted position, and a latch end which is opposite to said pushed end in the transverse direction, and which is movable between an extended position, where said latch end is engaged in a respective one of said left and right latching slots, and which corresponds to the depressed position of said rammed end, and a retracted position, where said latch end is disengaged from the respective one of said left and right latching slots; 
 left and right biasing members disposed to respectively bias said pushed ends of said left and right latch members towards the lightly pressed position; 
 a secondary shell member which is adapted to receive the runner sliding segment, and which is fitted into said primary shell member, said secondary shell member including
 upper and lower ends which are opposite to each other along the axis such that said primary shell member is movable relative to said secondary shell member along the axis between a non-stretched position corresponding to the extended position of said latch end, where said bottom mounting wall is close to said lower end, and a stretched position, where said bottom mounting wall is remote from said lower end, 
 a mounting segment disposed proximate to said lower end, and including left and right mounting walls which are spaced apart from each other in the transverse direction to define a lower chamber that is communicated with the stretching path, and that accommodates said left and right latch members, and which confront said primary left and right walls in the transverse direction, respectively, said left and right mounting walls having left and right bores which extend therethrough respectively to be communicated with said lower chamber, and which, when said rammed end is in the depressed position, are registered with said left and right latching slots, respectively, so as to permit said latch ends to be placed in the extended position, and 
 a manually operated segment interposed between said upper end and said mounting segment, and including front and rear mounting walls which are diametrically spaced apart from each other relative to the axis to define an upper chamber that is adapted to surround the runner sliding segment, and that accommodates the tubular plunger when the runner is in the lowermost position, said rear mounting wall having upper and lower mount regions that are proximate to and distal from said upper end, respectively, said front mounting wall having upper and lower access openings to permit access to said upper and lower mount regions radially and respectively; 
 
 a retaining member disposed to be movable radially between an engaging position, where said retaining member engages said retaining hole in the lowermost position so as to hold said rammed end in the depressed position against a biasing action of said first biasing member, thereby placing said pushed end in the heavily pressed position, and a disengaging position, where said retaining member retreats to said upper mount region to be disengaged from said retaining hole so as to permit said rammed end to be biased by said first biasing member to the lifted position, thereby placing said pushed end in the lightly pressed position; 
 a second biasing member disposed to bias said primary shell member to move from the non-stretched position to the stretched position; 
 an upper pushing unit which has an upper push button that is fitted into said upper access opening, and that is movable radially and towards said upper mount region, and an upper actuating end that is moved with said upper push button to bring said retaining member into the disengaging position; 
 a lower pushing unit which has a lower push button that is fitted into said lower access opening, and that is adapted to actuate the actuated end to release the tubular plunging end when being manually pushed radially towards said lower mount region, and a lower actuating end that is disposed opposite to said lower push button in terms of the axis, and that is disposed to be moved with said lower push button; 
 an upper biasing member disposed to bias said upper push button away from said upper mount region; and 
 a lower biasing member disposed to bias said lower push button away from said lower mount region. 
 
   
   
       2 . The push-button operated extendable handle assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said upper and lower access openings are communicated with each other, and said retaining member and said lower pushing member are integrally formed with said upper pushing member. 
   
   
       3 . The push-button operated extendable handle assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said first biasing member is disposed between said depressing end and said lower end of said secondary shell member so as to bias said depressing end towards the lifted position. 
   
   
       4 . The push-button operated extendable handle assembly of  claim 3 , wherein said second biasing member is disposed to surround and to be coaxial with said first biasing member about the axis, said bottom mounting wall of said primary shell member being moved away from said lower end of said secondary shell member by virtue of a biasing action of said second biasing member when said rammed end is moved to the lifted position. 
   
   
       5 . The push-button operated extendable handle assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said mounting segment of said secondary shell member has a keyway which extends towards said lower end to terminate at a lower limit region, said primary shell member having a key which extends transversely to the axis to be slidably engaged in said keyway, thereby guiding said bottom mounting wall to move away from said lower end until said key reaches said lower limit region. 
   
   
       6 . The push-button operated extendable handle assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said actuating intermediate segment has left and right cam surfaces which respectively engage said pushed ends of said left and right latch members in the transverse direction such that when said rammed end is moved to the lifted position by said first biasing member, said left and right cam surfaces force said pushed ends to the heavily pressed position, thereby placing said latch ends in the extended position. 
   
   
       7 . The push-button operated extendable handle assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said left and right latching slots extend towards said periphery of said bottom mounting wall so as to provide left and right leeways, thereby facilitating insertion and engagement of said latch ends of said left and right latch members into said left and right latching slots.