U.S. patent application number 09/984724 was filed with the patent office on 2003-05-01 for clamping device.
Invention is credited to Wu, Chun-Liang.
Application Number | 20030080079 09/984724 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 25530800 |
Filed Date | 2003-05-01 |
United States Patent
Application |
20030080079 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Wu, Chun-Liang |
May 1, 2003 |
Clamping device
Abstract
The present invention relates to a clamping device which
includes a mounting plate, a left and a right holding element, two
balls and a rear support. The mounting plate receives at least one
set of the right and left holding elements at the front side
thereof. The right and left holding elements fitted to the front
side of the mounting plate includes two accommodations or one
accommodation with a clamping plate to create a top wide while
bottom narrow funnellike shape. A ball is disposed inside each of
the accommodations. Only part of ball surface projects over an
opening while the remaining part thereof is restricted within the
inclined channel. The rear support is arranged at the front side of
the mounting plate and interposed between the right and left
holding elements so that the rear support and the right and left
holding elements create a three-sided clamping unit. Accordingly,
the present invention has advantages of simple structure, low cost,
low malfunction rate and stable clamping. In addition, the clamped
object can be directly taken off.
Inventors: |
Wu, Chun-Liang; (TaoYuan
City, TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
ROSENBERG, KLEIN & LEE
3458 ELLICOTT CENTER DRIVE-SUITE 101
ELLICOTT CITY
MD
21043
US
|
Family ID: |
25530800 |
Appl. No.: |
09/984724 |
Filed: |
October 31, 2001 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
211/89.01 ;
211/66; 211/68; 211/85.7 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F16B 2/16 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
211/89.01 ;
211/85.7; 211/68; 211/66 |
International
Class: |
A47F 005/08 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A clamping device comprising: a mounting plate receiving at
least one set of right and left holding elements at the front side
thereof; a right and a left holding element fitted to the front
side of said mounting plate and formed in shape of an
accommodation, respectively, an opening being arranged at the inner
side thereof, an outward inclined channel being formed at the inner
side thereof in such a way that both channels are symmetrically
disposed at opposing sides, thereby creating a top wide while
bottom narrow funnellike shape; two balls being disposed inside
said accommodations, respectively, part of the ball surface
projecting over said opening while the remaining part thereof is
restricted within said inclined channel; and a rear support
arranged at the front side of said mounting plate and interposed
between said right and left holding elements so that said rear
support and both balls create a three-sided clamping unit.
2. The clamping device as recited in claim 1, wherein said mounting
plate is provided with a slide rail at top and bottom ends thereof,
respectively, for receiving a back plate which is provided with a
locating element and fitted to each of said accommodations, and
wherein said rear support is also received in said slide rail so
that the clearance between both accommodations and the rear support
mounted on the mounting plate is adjustable.
3. The clamping device as recited in claim 1, wherein said channels
of said accommodations of said right and left holding elements are
outwardly inclined from the bottom to the top, thereby forming an
outwardly inclined angle .theta..degree..
4. The clamping device as recited in claim 2, wherein said locating
element includes a slider, a spring and a lock pin, and wherein
said lock pin in combination with a spring can be engaged in place
into any of locating holes of said slide rail at the bottom of said
mounting plate.
5. A clamping device comprising: a mounting plate receiving at
least one set of right and left holding elements at the front side
thereof; a right and a left holding element fitted to the front
side of said mounting plate and having an accommodation and a
clamping plate, an opening being arranged at the inner side of said
accommodation, an outward inclined channel being formed at the
inner side thereof while said clamping plate is disposed at the
opposing side of said accommodation, thereby creating a top wide
while bottom narrow funnellike shape; a ball being disposed inside
said accommodation, part of the ball surface projecting over said
opening while the remaining part thereof is restricted within said
inclined channel; and a rear support arranged at the front side of
said mounting plate and interposed between said right and left
holding elements so that said rear support, said ball and said
clamping plate create a three-sided clamping unit.
6. The clamping device as recited in claim 5, wherein said clamping
plate is fixed on said rear plate of said accommodation.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a clamping device, and more
particularly, to a device which utilizes the tapering principle and
a three-sided clamping unit to create a stable clamping force.
Accordingly, objects of different forms and sizes can be stably
clamped and hung.
[0003] 2. Description of the Prior Art
[0004] In the everyday life, many objects are required to be hung
on the wall or on the surface of another objects for storage or
demonstration. The most conventional method is to use nails or
hooks to receive the objects, thereby losing the aesthetically
appealing appearance. Thus, restriction and drawbacks are still
existing.
[0005] A conventional clamping device of TW 219099, as shown in
FIGS. 1 through 3, mainly includes a holder 1, a clamping element 2
and a casing 3. The holder 1 has toothed rails 11 at two sides of
which the slide rails 12 are arranged. A compressing device 13 is
mounted on the slide rails 12 so that the object on the slide rails
12 is pushed to the clamping end in place. The clamping element 2
has a grooved gearwheel 21 at the center thereof. The gearwheel 21
corresponds to the toothed rails 11 so that they are engaged to
each other for movement thereon. The casing 3 receives the holder 1
and the clamping element 2. One side of the casing 3 is a closed
surface 31 while the other side thereof is an opening 32. The
clamping element 2 projects from the opening 32. Based on the
assembly of the above components, a clamping effect is created to
clamp common objects.
[0006] In the above conventional clamping device, the object (G) is
clamped by means that the gearwheel 21 in the grooved part of the
cylindrical clamping element 2 rolls along the toothed rails 11 of
the holder 1. However, the manufacturing and the assembly of the
gearwheel 21 and the toothed rails 11 are more difficult so that
the economic efficiency isn't achieved. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3,
in order to take off the object (G), the object (G) has to be
pushed upward first and the clamping element 2 therefore rolls in
an inclined way and draws inward. The reason is that the clamping
element 2 only has rolling freedom along the direction of the
toothed rails 11. And the clamping point of the clamping element 2
isn't a circular surface. When horizontally pulled, the clamping
element 2 can't create component force. Generally, the object (G)
is taken off by pulling it outward, and this forcing way will,
however, damage or destroy the object (G).
[0007] In addition, the clamping width (W) of the above
conventional clamping device isn't adjustable so that the object of
greater diameter can be clamped. Besides, as shown in FIG. 3, the
clamped object (G) swings to and fro in an unstable state. The
reason is that the clamping point 22a of the clamping element 2 and
the clamping point 22b at the other side create a narrow and small
clamping area so that the front and rear parts is empty without
resting surface. Accordingly, the object (G) can't be stably
clamped.
[0008] Another conventional clamping device of TW 397164, as
illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5, is an improvement of the
above-mentioned clamping device. In the improved disclosure, only
the gearwheel 21 and the toothed rails 11 are replaced by a recess
20 and a guide bar 10 for simplifying the production cost and
facilitating the assembly. However, this improved disclosure also
has the drawbacks of unstable clamping, uneasy removal, easy
wearing, easy malfunction, etc.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] It is a primary object of the present invention to provide a
clamping device which has simple configuration, low manufacturing
cost and low malfunction rate. Moreover, an ergonomic convenience
in removal of the clamped object is achieved.
[0010] It is another object of the present invention to provide a
clamping device through which a three-sided clamping unit is formed
to create a stable clamping force.
[0011] It is a further object of the present invention to provide a
clamping device through which the clamping width is adjustable to
the clamped object of different sizes so that the application scope
is enlarged.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] The accomplishment of this and other objects of the
invention will become apparent from the following description and
its accompanying drawings of which:
[0013] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a conventional clamping
device disclosed by TW 219099;
[0014] FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the conventional clamping
device disclosed by TW 219099;
[0015] FIG. 3 is a top view of the conventional clamping device
disclosed by TW 219099;
[0016] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of another conventional
clamping device disclosed by TW 397164;
[0017] FIG. 5 is a top view of the conventional clamping device
disclosed by TW 397164;
[0018] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of the
present invention;
[0019] FIG. 7 is a longitudinal section of the first embodiment of
the present invention;
[0020] FIG. 8 is a longitudinally sectional view taken along the
line 8-8 of FIG. 7;
[0021] FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 9-9 of
FIG. 7;
[0022] FIG. 10 is a schematic drawing of the first embodiment of
the present invention in a three-sided clamping state;
[0023] FIG. 11 is a top view of a second embodiment of the present
invention;
[0024] FIG. 12 is a front view of the second embodiment of the
present invention;
[0025] FIG. 13 is a bottom view of the second embodiment of the
present invention;
[0026] FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 14-14
of FIG. 11;
[0027] FIG. 15 is a schematic drawing of the second embodiment of
the present invention in a three-sided clamping state;
[0028] FIG. 16 is an enlarged view of the section taken along the
line 16-16 of FIG. 12, showing the structure of the locating
member;
[0029] FIG. 17 is a front view of a third embodiment of the present
invention;
[0030] FIG. 18 is a front view of an accommodation of the third
embodiment of the present invention; and
[0031] FIG. 19 is a side view of the accommodation of the third
embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0032] First of all, referring to FIGS. 6 and 9, a first embodiment
of the present invention includes a mounting plate 4, a right and a
left holding element 5, two balls 6 and a rear support 7.
[0033] The mounting plate 4 receives at least one set of the right
and left holding elements 5 at the front side thereof.
[0034] The right and left holding elements 5 fitted to the front
side of the mounting plate 4 are formed in shape of two
accommodations 51. An opening 511 is arranged at the inner side
thereof. An outward inclined channel 512 is formed at the inner
side thereof in such a way that both channels 512 are symmetrically
disposed at opposing sides, thereby creating a top wide while
bottom narrow funnellike shape.
[0035] Two balls 6 are disposed inside the accommodations 51,
respectively. Only part of ball surface projects over the opening
511 while the remaining part thereof is restricted within the
inclined channel 512.
[0036] The rear support 7 is arranged at the front side of the
mounting plate 4 and interposed between the right and left holding
elements 5 so that the rear support 7 and both balls 6 create a
three-sided clamping unit.
[0037] Moreover, the accommodations 51 can be constructed in
cylindrical shape while a sealing cover 52 restricts both balls 6
to move within the channels 512.
[0038] In addition, the rear support 7 includes a plurality of
indentations or has a harsh surface to increase the clamping
force.
[0039] Furthermore, the mounting plate 4 is provided with a slide
rail 41 at top and bottom ends thereof, respectively, for receiving
a back plate 53 which is provided with a locating element 54 and
fitted to each of the accommodations 51. The rear support 7 is also
received in the slide rail 41. Accordingly, the clearance between
both accommodations 51 and the rear support 7 mounted on the
mounting plate 4 is adjustable to the objects (G) of different
sizes.
[0040] Based on the above components, the operation of the present
invention is shown in FIGS. 7 and 8. The object (G) to be hung
rests on the two properly projecting balls 6 and is pushed inward
so that the balls 6 inclinedly roll upwards due to the sloping
arrangement of the channel 512 inside the accommodations 51. Thus,
the object (G) can be smoothly placed inside. After the object (G)
is released, the object (G) and both balls 6 fall down because of
the gravity. A tapering effect is created due to the sloping
arrangement of the accommodations 51. Moreover, a three-sided
clamping unit is formed in combination with the rear support 7,
thereby creating a stable clamping force. As shown in FIG. 10, the
object (G) is stably hung. In removing the object (G), both balls 6
also rolls inclinedly upward so that the clamping mouth is opened
to smoothly release the object (G).
[0041] In comparison with both conventional clamping devices, the
present invention has advantages of simple structure, low cost and
low malfunction rate. In addition, the object (G) can be directly
taken off and unlike the conventional one that it's required to
move the object (G) upward first. Therefore, the present invention
has the ergonomic convenience. As shown in FIG. 10, both balls 6
and the rear support 7 forms a three-sided large clamping surface
so that the clamped object (G) is stably fastened. Moreover, the
position of both accommodations 51 and the rear support 7 on the
mounting plate 4 can be adjusted to have a desired clearance
therebetween in order to hang objects of different sizes. Thus, the
application scope is enlarged.
[0042] Again, referring to FIGS. 11 through 16, a second embodiment
of the present invention is disclosed in accordance with the first
embodiment of the present invention. Both have little difference.
The appearance of both accommodations 51 of the right and left
holding elements 5 looks more round, and, of course, the openings
511 and the inclined channels 512 are also rounded. Besides, the
balls 6 are restricted inside the channels 512.
[0043] As shown in FIGS. 11 and 14, the channels 512 of the
accommodations 51 of the right and left holding elements 5 are
outwardly inclined from the bottom to the top, thereby forming an
outwardly inclined angle .theta..degree.. Therefore, the more the
balls 6 inside the channel 512 rise to both sides, the greater is
the clearance between the balls 6 and the rear support 7. As
illustrated in FIG. 15, the objects of different sizes can be hung
so that the application scope of the present invention is enlarged.
Again, referring to FIGS. 12, 13 and 16, one of both accommodations
51 of the right and left holding elements 5 is fixed on the
mounting plate 4 while the other accommodation 51 is arranged in an
adjustable state. The locating element 54' includes a slider 541, a
spring 542 and a lock pin 543. The lock pin 543 in combination with
a spring 542 can be engaged in place into any of locating holes 411
of the slide rail 41 at the bottom of the mounting plate 4. When
the slider 541 is slightly moved upward, the bottom end of the lock
pin 543 is released out of the locating holes 411 of the slide rail
41 for adjusting its position.
[0044] In the above-mentioned first and second embodiments of the
present invention, the right and left balls 6 and the rear support
7 are utilized to form a three-sided clamping unit so that the
object (G) can be stably hung in place.
[0045] In a third embodiment of the present invention, as shown in
FIG. 17, at least one set of the right and left holding elements 5
is mounted on the mounting plate 4. Moreover, in order to save
space, each of the added right and left holding elements 5a through
5d includes an accommodation 51 which is identical with the
accommodation 51 in the first and second embodiments and receives a
ball 6. A clamping plate 55 is disposed at the opposing side of the
accommodation 51. Thus, another accommodation 51 is replaced by the
clamping plate 55. As shown in FIG. 18, the clamping plates 55, the
opposing accommodations 51 and the balls 6 inside the
accommodations 51 forms the right and left holding elements 5a
through 5d. Besides, any of the right and left holding elements 5a
through 5d and the rear support 7 constitute a three-sided clamping
unit for stably clamping the object (G). Accordingly, the same
effect of the first and second embodiments is achieved.
[0046] The aforementioned clamping plate 55 can be mounted on the
back plate 53 of any of the accommodations 51 so that it is movable
along with the back plate 53. Moreover, the clamping surface of the
clamping plate 55 can be constructed as a harsh or serrated surface
551 in order to increase the resistance to clamp a more heavy
object (G).
[0047] The above-mentioned embodiments show that the clamping
device of the present invention can solve the problems of the prior
art. In addition, it is easy to use, the clearance of the holding
elements is adjustable and the three-sided clamping will ensure a
stable fastening.
[0048] Many changes and modifications in the above-described
embodiments of the invention can, of course, be carried out without
departing from the scope thereof. Accordingly, to promote the
progress in science and the useful arts, the invention is disclosed
and is intended to be limited only by the scope of the appended
claims.
* * * * *