A garden umbrella of the generally large size having a ribholder runner notch adapted for movement along a hollow umbrella pole for operating the canopy ribs to open and close the umbrella canopy. A pulley wheel is mounted in the umbrella pole below its top portion, with one end of a pulley cord being attached to the ribholder runner notch while the other end of the pulley cord extends down through the hollow pole where it connects to a ballast weight. The ballast weight is adapted to travel vertically in the pole in synchronism with movement of the runner notch. The weight of the ballast weight and its pulley arrangement is selected to provide a uniform ballast force and a constant control which facilitates the opening and closing of the umbrella. A second pulley cord can be attached at one end to the runner notch while such cord extends around a second pulley wheel to a handle attached at its other end. The umbrella can be open by pulling down on the pulley cord handle, or by simply lifting the end of one rib to above shoulder height, or by raising the runner notch until the umbrella is fully open. During this opening operation, as the ballast weight is lowered, it provides a uniform and constant upward force on the runner notch which assists in opening the umbrella, thereby substantially reducing the force otherwise required of the umbrella operator. The umbrella is closed by simply pulling down on one rib, or by lowering the runner notch until the umbrella is closed.

A remotely or manually actuated electrically operated umbrella for use with larger canopies in outdoor settings like restaurants. The umbrella uses a gear and chain drive system to urge upward a traveling rod that in turn actuates a bracket to open and close the spokes of the umbrella. The rod is controlled by movements of a pulley turned by a motor. Two actuator pieces in connection with the pulley will contact "up" and "down" switches in order to automatically cut off the motor once the canopy has been closed or opened as the case may be.

An umbrella includes an elongated stick for connecting a handle to a cano and an elastic-driven mechanism for controlling operation of the canopy between an open end position and a closed end position by moving a slide mechanism, which is linked to the canopy, relative to the stick. The elastic is set under tension when the canopy occupies one of the end positions to bias the slide mechanism so that the canopy seeks the other end position. A latch releasably locks the slide mechanism when the canopy occupies the one end position.

This invention relates to umbrellas in general. In particular it relates to umbrellas which automatically open and close. This automatic opening and closing of the umbrella in the presented embodiments is accomplished by means of the rotation of a threaded rod. A key improvement disclosed herein includes a simplification both in the construction of the umbrella itself and in the means for conveniently converting the umbrella to the ordinary manually opened and closed umbrella should the necessity occur. It has been discovered by experimentation that parts previously included in the assembly of prior art are unexpectedly not necessary with the proper choice of design.

An automated umbrella assembly includes an outer housing having a bottom wall, a top wall and a peripheral wall. A tube is rotatably mounted in the housing. The tube extends upwardly toward an aperture in the top wall and has an open upper end. An inwardly extending threaded lip is attached to an inner surface of the tube. An umbrella includes a shaft having a top end and a bottom end. A plurality of gores is attached to the top end. The gores are selectively positioned in a collapsed position or in an extended position. The shaft has a threaded outer surface and is threadably coupled to the lip. The shaft is extended outwardly through the aperture when the tube is rotated in a first direction and pulled into the outer housing when the tube is rotated in the second direction. A motor is mechanically coupled to the tube.