US20060107979A1

US20060107979A1 - Portable combination umbrella and chair

Info

Publication number: US20060107979A1
Application number: US10/535,155
Authority: US
Inventors: Young-Jun Kim
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2003-10-29
Filing date: 2004-10-21
Publication date: 2006-05-25
Also published as: WO2005039345A1; JP2007509692A

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a portable combination umbrella and chair, which is configured to allow a user to rest for a moment and to serve as an umbrella when it rains. The chair includes a pole (3) having on an end thereof a threaded part (1). An umbrella part (5) is coupled to the threaded part, and has a sliding member (4) moving along the pole. A lock (6) is provided in a lower portion of the pole to lock or unlock the sliding member, thus closing or opening the umbrella part, with a push button (7) provided in the lower portion of the pole to be integrated with the lock, thus actuating the lock. A chair part (10) is rotatably mounted to an opposite end of the pole via a hinge shaft (8). A locking means is provided on the pole and the chair part.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates, in general, to a portable combination umbrella and chair and, more particularly, to a portable combination umbrella and chair, which is configured to allow a user to rest for a moment while playing golf on a golf course or watching a golf match, and which is configured to serve as an umbrella when it rains.

BACKGROUND ART

Generally, chairs are manufactured to have various shapes, according to intended purposes thereof. However, the chairs do not have functions other than a function of seating persons. Further, it is difficult to carry the chairs. Moreover, chairs that are configured to be easily carried and thus be used to enjoy or watch sports, such as golf, have not yet been developed.
For example, when playing golf, several persons constitute a group, and then go around a large golf course with a series of 18 holes spaced far apart. As such, in order to go around the 18 holes, the persons must walk about or stand on the course for a long time.
Meanwhile, when a golf match is carried out for a long time, golfers, caddies, and an audience may feel fatigued. However, there are no chairs on the golf course, so that persons frequently rest on the grass.
However, harmful substances, such as agricultural chemicals, are present in the grass. Further, when persons sit on the grass and stand up, foreign materials may adhere to the persons' clothes. Moreover, when it rains, the grass gets wet, so that it is impossible for persons to sit on the grass.
Further, while playing golf on an outdoor course, it may rain suddenly. Thus, an umbrella must always be carried in order to be prepared for rain. The umbrella is put into a golf bag and carried.
As such, when playing golf, it is complicated to put an umbrella as well as various kinds of golf clubs into a golf bag and carry them. Particularly, if it does not rain, the umbrella is unnecessary as well as heavy, thus causing inconvenience to a golfer.
Moreover, while golfers play golf, caddies and an audience must walk about or stand on the course together with the golfers. Thus, the caddie and the audience each must carry an umbrella in order to be prepared for rain.

DISCLOSURE

Technical Problem
Accordingly, the present invention has been made keeping in mind the above problems occurring in the prior art, and an object of the present invention is to provide a portable combination umbrella and chair, which is configured to allow a person to rest thereon, instead of sitting on the ground or the grass, when the person feels fatigued during a golf match, and which is configured to serve as an umbrella, when it rains suddenly.
Technical Solution
In order to accomplish the above object, the present invention provides a portable combination umbrella and chair, including a pole having on a first end thereof a threaded part and being made of a light and rigid material, an umbrella part coupled to the threaded part of the pole and having a sliding member moving vertically along the pole, a lock provided in a lower portion of the pole to lock or unlock the sliding member to or from a predetermined position of the pole, thus closing or opening the umbrella part, with a push button provided in the lower portion of the pole to be integrated with the lock, thus actuating the lock, a chair part having a handle and being rotatably mounted to a second end of the pole via a hinge shaft, and a locking means provided on the pole and the chair part, thus keeping the chair part in a sitting position or returning the chair part to an original position thereof.
Advantageous Effects
According to the present invention, a chair part is folded to be parallel to a pole for storage and portability. When necessary, the chair part is unfolded to be perpendicular to the pole, thus allowing a user to rest thereon or comfortably watch sports, such as golf, while sitting on the chair part. Further, while moving from a place to another place, the user can rest on the chair part for a moment after opening the chair part.
Further, when it rains suddenly, the chair part is folded but an umbrella part is opened. Thus, the present invention allows a user to be always protected against the rain. Further, the present invention provides the umbrella part and the chair part which are integrated into a single structure, thus being capable of using both an umbrella function and a chair function without separately carrying an umbrella and a chair, and being light in weight, therefore ensuring easy portability and practicality.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view to show a portable combination umbrella and chair, according to the first embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the portable combination umbrella and chair of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view to show a part of the portable combination umbrella and chair of FIG. 2, when a chair part is open;
FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional view to show a part of the portable combination umbrella and chair, when the chair part of FIG. 3 is folded; and
FIG. 5 is a sectional view to show a portable combination umbrella and chair, according to the second embodiment of the present invention, in which a triple-folding umbrella part is adapted to the portable combination umbrella and chair.

BEST MODE

A portable combination umbrella and chair according to the present invention includes a collapsible chair part and a collapsible umbrella part. In a detailed description, the portable combination umbrella and chair includes a pole 3 which has a threaded part 1 at an end thereof, and an expansion part 2 at an opposite end thereof. An umbrella part 5 is coupled to the threaded part 1 of the pole 3, and is provided with a sliding member 4 to slide along the pole 3. A lock 6 and a push button 7 are provided in a lower portion of the pole 3. The lock 6 is operated to lock or unlock the sliding member 4, thus closing or opening the umbrella part 5. The push button 7 functions to actuate the lock 6. A chair part 10 is rotatably coupled to a bottom of the expansion part 2 via a hinge shaft 8, and has a handle 9. Further, a locking means is provided on the chair part 10 and the pole 3 so as to keep the chair part 10 in a sitting position or to return the chair part 10 to an original position thereof.

MODE FOR INVENTION

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 4, the pole 3 has a long length in a longitudinal direction thereof. Preferably, the pole 3 is made of a rigid and light material, that is, a metal material, such as Duralumin (an aluminum alloy) so as to bear a user's weight.
Further, a contact member 20 is provided at an end of the pole 3, and is made of a relatively rigid plastic or rubber material. Thus, although the contact member 20 is in contact with the ground surface and is subject to a force, the contact member 20 is not deformed or broken.
The umbrella part 5 includes spreaders and a canopy. When the umbrella part 5 is open in a parabolic shape while being supported by the threaded part 1 provided at an end of the pole 3, a user can keep dry when it rains. Further, the umbrella part 5 is usually collapsed to be adjacent to the pole 3.
The lock 6 and the push button 7 have the same constructions as those of a conventional automatically opening and closing umbrella. The lock 6 and the push button 7 are integrated with each other into a single structure, and are elastically supported by a spring 18 provided in the pole 3. The sliding member 4 is mounted to be biased by a spring 19 which is provided on an outer circumference of an upper portion of the pole 3. Thereby, when the push button 7 is pushed, the umbrella part 5 is opened.
The chair part 10 is coupled to the expansion part 2 of the pole 3 to be rotated at an angle of 90° around the hinge shaft 8. When the chair part 10 is rotated to be placed horizontally, a user can rest on the chair part 10 regardless of the place.
Further, the handle 9 is provided at a predetermined position on the chair part 10, thus allowing the portable combination umbrella and chair to be conveniently carried and to be easily hung on a peg or the like.
The locking means includes a through hole 11, a spring 12, and a locking rod 14. The through hole 11 is formed at an end of the expansion part 2 of the pole 3. The spring 12 is inserted into the expansion part 2 through the through hole 11. The locking rod 14 is inserted through the through hole 11, and the undesirable removal of the locking rod 14 is prevented by a wedge-shaped support step 13. Further, the locking rod 14 is configured so that an end thereof is in close contact with the spring 12 and an opposite end thereof protrudes out of the through hole 11 by a predetermined length. The locking means also has a rod support unit 16. The rod support unit 16 is provided at a position around hinge holes to which the hinge shaft 8 is fastened, and includes a first rod hole 15 to receive the locking rod 14, when the chair part 10 is folded. The locking means also has a second rod hole 17 which is formed on a central portion of the chair part 10 to receive the locking rod 14, when the chair part 10 is unfolded to allow a user to sit thereon.
In this case, since the support step 14 is inserted into the expansion part 2 through the through hole 11, the locking rod 14 is movable while not being removed from the expansion part 2. Further, the locking rod 14 has a rounded end to be easily inserted into or removed from the first, second rod hole 15, 17.
The operational effects of the portable combination umbrella and chair constructed as described above will be described in the following.
Usually, a user carries the portable combination umbrella and chair after putting it into a bag. Meanwhile, when a golfer or a spectator desires to rest for a moment while playing golf or watching a golf match, the golfer or gallery takes the portable combination umbrella and chair out of the bag so as to rest thereon.
In a detailed description, a user rotates the chair part 10 about the hinge shaft 8, while manually pushing an end of the locking rod 14 which protrudes out of the first rod hole 15 of the rod support unit 16 that is provided at a predetermined position on the chair part 10. At this time, the locking rod 14 is easily removed from the first rod hole 15, and simultaneously the chair part 10 is rotated.
When the chair part 10 is rotated, the locking rod 14 is fitted into the second rod hole 17 which is formed on the central portion of the chair part 10, and the chair part 10 is placed horizontally. In such a state, the chair part 10 is maintained stably. Thus, the user can sit on the chair part 10 after placing the pole 3 so that the end of the pole 3 comes into contact with the ground surface and the pole 3 is positioned to be perpendicular to the ground surface.
When the user sits on the chair part 10, the contact member 20 provided at the end of the pole 3 comes into contact with the ground surface, thus preventing the pole 3 from breaking or sliding over the ground surface. Therefore, while the pole 3 stands upright, the user can rest on the chair part 10.
Since the chair part 10 is firmly coupled to the pole 3 by the locking rod 14, a user can stably sit on the chair part 10. At this time, the umbrella part 5 is in close contact with the pole 3.
When it rains suddenly while the chair part is being used, the chair part 10 is collapsed so that the locking rod 14 is inserted into the first rod hole 15. Thereafter, the user holds the handle 9 provided at a predetermined position on the chair part 10 and pushes the push button 7. At this time, the sliding member 4 is released from the lock 6 while the umbrella part 5 is opened by the elasticity of the spring 19.
That is, the chair part 10 is immediately converted into the umbrella part 5 merely by pushing the push button 7, in a similar manner as a conventional automatically opening and closing umbrella. Thus, it is very convenient to use the chair part 10 and the umbrella part 5.
Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 5, a triple-folding umbrella part 22 may be adapted to a portable combination umbrella and chair, without using the push button 7 and the lock 6. The triple-folding umbrella part 22 is operated such that a sliding member 4 is manually pulled up and then locked by a lock 21 which is moved by the elasticity of a spring S. Such a construction reduces the volume of the umbrella part.
As described above, when it rains, a user uses the umbrella part 5, 22. When it stops raining, the umbrella part 5, 22 is collapsed. In this case, a diameter of the expansion part 2 is larger than that of the pole 3, so that a diameter of the umbrella part 5 is almost equal to that of the expansion part 2. In such a state, the entire shape of the umbrella part is almost a straight line shape, thus preventing the umbrella part from being caught on clothes, a bag, or the like, when the user carries the portable combination umbrella and chair according to the present invention.
Moreover, the portable combination umbrella and chair can be conveniently used for outdoor activities other than golf, such as mountain climbing.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

As described above, the present invention provides a portable combination umbrella and chair, which can be used on a golf course or for outdoor activities, such as mountain climbing, and which can be used as an umbrella when it rains suddenly, and which can be used as a chair in a place not having a chair, when a user feels fatigued.

Claims

1. A portable combination umbrella and chair, comprising:

a pole having on a first end thereof a threaded part;

an umbrella part coupled to the threaded part of the pole, and having a sliding member moving vertically along the pole;

a lock provided in a lower portion of the pole to lock or unlock the sliding member to or from a predetermined position of the pole, thus closing or opening the umbrella part, with a push button provided in the lower portion of the pole to be integrated with the lock, thus actuating the lock;

a chair part having a handle and being rotatably mounted to a second end of the pole via a hinge shaft; and

locking means provided on the pole and the chair part, thus keeping the chair part in a sitting position or returning the chair part to an original position thereof.

2. The chair according to claim 1, further comprising:

an expansion part provided at the second end of the pole, and having a larger diameter than the pole to have a diameter similar to the collapsed umbrella part, thus preventing the umbrella part from being caught on clothes, a bag, or the like.

3. The chair according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the locking means comprises:

a through hole formed at an end of the expansion part of the pole;

a first spring inserted into the expansion part through the through hole;

a locking rod inserted into the expansion part through the through hole, and configured so that a first end of the locking rod is in close contact with an end of the first spring and a second end of the locking rod protrudes out of the through hole by a predetermined length, with a wedge-shaped support step provided on the locking rod to prevent the locking rod from being removed from the expansion part;

a rod support unit provided at a position around hinge holes of the chair part to which the hinge shaft is fastened, the rod support unit having a first rod hole to receive the locking rod, when the chair part is folded; and

a second rod hole formed on a central portion of the chair part to receive the locking rod, when the chair part is unfolded to seat a user thereon.

4. The chair according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising:

a second spring installed in the pole to elastically support the push button and the lock; and

a third spring mounted to the sliding member to be extended when the umbrella part is closed, the third spring serving to automatically open the umbrella part, when the push button is pushed.