U.S. patent application number 10/629701 was filed with the patent office on 2005-02-03 for strap supporting post capable of automatically winding a strap around it.
Invention is credited to Lu, Jin-Chu.
Application Number | 20050023403 10/629701 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34103673 |
Filed Date | 2005-02-03 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050023403 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Lu, Jin-Chu |
February 3, 2005 |
Strap supporting post capable of automatically winding a strap
around it
Abstract
A speed reduction mechanism is provided to a strap supporting
post having a winding mechanism capable of automatically winding a
strap around it; the reduction mechanism includes a rotary member
turnable together with the winding mechanism, and a stationary
member secured to on top of the post; the rotary member has rubbing
bars pivoted to a middle part thereof; the rubbing bars are biased
towards the middle part by tension springs; centrifugal force will
act on the rubbing bars when the winding mechanism rotates after
the strap has been released from stretched position; the rubbing
bars are pivoted towards the stationary member when speed of
rotation of the winding mechanism is so high that the centrifugal
force is greater than force of the tension springs, thus slowing
down rotation of the winding mechanism, and preventing the free end
of the strap from swing too fast.
Inventors: |
Lu, Jin-Chu; (Taipei Hsien,
TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
ROSENBERG, KLEIN & LEE
3458 ELLICOTT CENTER DRIVE-SUITE 101
ELLICOTT CITY
MD
21043
US
|
Family ID: |
34103673 |
Appl. No.: |
10/629701 |
Filed: |
July 30, 2003 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
242/381.5 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65H 2701/374 20130101;
E01F 13/028 20130101; B65H 75/4447 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
242/381.5 |
International
Class: |
B65H 075/48 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. An improvement on a strap supporting post capable of
automatically winding a strap around it, comprising: a post part
capable of standing on a ground; a winding mechanism arranged on
top of the post part; the winding mechanism including a housing
part, a shaft, and a return spring; a strap being securely
connected to an outer side of the housing part at a first end; the
shaft being connected to the return spring so that it is rotary
together with the housing part on the post part; the strap being
wound around the housing part at a not-in-use position when there
is no external force exerted on it; the return spring being capable
of storing up a return force thereon when the strap is pulled away
from the housing part to a long stretched position, which return
force will make the housing part rotate to wind the strap back
around the housing part when the strap is released; the shaft
having an upper connecting end projecting from top of the housing
part; and a speed reduction mechanism, the speed reduction
mechanism having a rotary member, which is connected to the upper
connecting end of the shaft of the winding mechanism at a middle
part thereof so as to be rotary together with the shaft; the speed
reduction mechanism having a stationary member fixedly disposed on
top of the post part; the stationary member having a cap portion
disposed over the rotary member; the rotary member having a
plurality of rubbing bars pivoted to the middle part thereof; the
rubbing bars having outward sides facing an annular rubbing surface
on an inner side of an annular portion of the cap portion; the
rubbing bards being biased away from the rubbing surface of the cap
portion and towards the middle part of the rotary member by means
of tension springs connecting the rubbing bars to the middle part;
centrifugal force acting on the rubbing bars when the winding
mechanism functions to wind the strap around the housing part
thereof after the strap has been released from a long stretched
position; the rubbing bars being pivoted towards the rubbing
surface to be rubbed against the rubbing surface when speed of
rotation of the rotary member with the housing part is so high that
the centrifugal force is greater than force of the tension springs
on the rubbing bars, thus slowing down rotation of the rotary
member and the housing part of the winding mechanism, and reducing
speed of movement of a free end of the strap towards the housing
part.
2. The strap supporting post as claimed in claim 1, wherein the
middle part has a middle cavity, a connecting hole extending
through the middle of the middle cavity, a plurality of spaced
holding rooms, spaced apart connecting projections, spaced apart
trenches each having a connecting pole sticking up from it, and
each rubbing bar has a first working end formed with convexly
curved outward side, a second pivotal end, a trench on an inward
side, and a connecting pole sticking up from the trench while the
stationary member has a plurality of elongated connecting portions
projecting down from the annular portion of the cap portion
thereof; each of the elongated connecting portions having a
securing bar on an outward side thereof and capable of engaging a
connecting element joined to a free end of the strap; the upper
connecting end of the shaft being closely passed through the
connecting hole of the middle part of the rotary member, and
screwed into a nut; the rubbing bars being pivoted to respective
ones of the connecting projections of the middle part at the second
pivotal ends thereof by means of pivotal pins; the first working
ends of the rubbing bars being received in respective ones of the
holding rooms of the middle part; the tension springs being passed
around the connecting poles of the middle part and the connecting
poles of the rubbing bars at two ring-shaped ends thereof.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a strap supporting post
capable of automatically making a strap wound therearound, more
particularly one, which is equipped with a reduction mechanism so
that the strap won't be wound back around the post too rapidly by
the winding mechanism after it has been stretched for use.
[0003] 2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
[0004] Referring to FIGS. 5, and 6, a conventional strap supporting
post 4 is comprised of a post part 41, and a winding member, and
has a strap 42 connected thereto. The post part 41 can stand on the
ground, and has several securing bars 48 equidistantly spaced on an
outer side of an upper end thereof. The winding member is arranged
on top of the post part 41, and includes a tube-shaped part 44, a
shaft 46, and a return spring 45. The strap 42 is secured to an
outer side of the tube-shaped part 44 at a first end, and has a
connecting element 43 connected to a second end thereof; the
connecting element 43 is usually made of plastics, and is formed
with an engaging gap 47. The shaft 46 is connected to the return
spring 45, and is rotary together with the housing part 44 on the
post part 41 so that the strap 42 is usually wound around the
tube-shaped part 44 at a not-in-use position, and the return spring
45 will store up a return force thereon when the strap 42 is pulled
away from the tube-shaped part 44 to a stretched position by the
second end connecting element 43 thereof, which return force will
make the tube-shaped part 44 rotate in reverse direction to wind
the strap 42 back around the tube-shaped part 44 in case the strap
42 is released.
[0005] The strap supporting post 4 with the strap 42 is usually
used in public events to define areas for ordinary people such as
the audience and areas for special guests so that the audience and
the special guests can be appropriately separated; connecting
element 43 of one strap 42 of the kind can be engaged with securing
bar 48 of another post 4 after the strap 42 is stretched to form a
long line therefore several posts with straps of the same kind can
be used to separate a place into several sections according to the
user's needs.
[0006] However, the above strap supporting post 4 is found to have
disadvantages as followings:
[0007] 1. The connecting element 43 joined to the free end of the
strap 42 will be made to move towards the post 4 very fast by the
winding member in case the strap 42 is released from a long
stretched in-use position to be wound back around the tube-shaped
part 44. Consequently, the connecting element 43 will hit the
tube-shaped part 44 very hard, and causes loud noise.
[0008] 2. For the same reason, the connecting element 43 is prone
to get damaged if the strap 42 is directly released from a long
stretched in-use position, and no effort is made to counteract the
return spring 45. And, the connecting element 43 is likely to swing
fast, and hits and hurts people near to the post.
[0009] 3. For the same reason, service life of the whole strap
supporting post will be shortened.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0010] It is a main object of the present invention to provide a
speed reduction mechanism to a strap supporting post having a
winding mechanism for automatically winding a strap to overcome the
above disadvantages.
[0011] The speed reduction mechanism includes a rotary member
turnable together with the winding mechanism, and a stationary
member secured to on top of the post; the rotary member has rubbing
bars pivoted to a middle part thereof; the rubbing bars are biased
towards the middle part by tension springs; centrifugal force will
act on the rubbing bars when the winding mechanism functions after
the strap has been released from stretched position; the rubbing
bars are pivoted towards the stationary member when speed of
rotation of the winding mechanism is so high that the centrifugal
force is greater than force of the tension springs, thus slowing
down rotation of the winding mechanism, and preventing a connecting
element from swing too fast too hurt people, which is joined to the
free end of the strap.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] The present invention will be better understood by referring
to the accompanying drawings, wherein:
[0013] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of the strap
supporting post according to the present invention,
[0014] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the strap supporting
post according to the present invention,
[0015] FIG. 3 is another cross-sectional view of the strap
supporting post according to the present invention,
[0016] FIG. 4 is a view showing the function of the speed reduction
mechanism of:the strap supporting post of the present
invention,
[0017] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the conventional strap
supporting post as described in the Background,
[0018] FIG. 6 is a top view of the conventional strap supporting
post, and
[0019] FIG. 7 is a partial cross-sectional view of the conventional
strap supporting post.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0020] Referring to FIGS. 1 to 3, a preferred embodiment of a strap
supporting post in the present invention includes:
[0021] a post part 1 capable of standing on the ground;
[0022] a winding mechanism, which is arranged on top of the post
part 1, and is comprised of a housing part 11, a shaft 15, a return
spring 14, an a base formed with screw holes 18 on an annular
portion thereof; the base is fixedly connected to top of the post
part 1; a strap 12 is securely connected to an outer side of the
housing part 11 at a first end, and has a connecting element 13
connected to a second end thereof; the connecting element 13 is
usually made of plastics, and is formed with an engaging gap (not
numbered); the shaft 15 is connected to the return spring 14 such
that it is rotary together with the housing part 11 on the post
part 1, and that the strap 13 is usually wound around the housing
part 11 at a not-in-use position, and the return spring 14 will
store up a return force thereon when the strap 12 is pulled away
from the housing part 11 to a stretched position by the second end
connecting element 13 thereof, which return force will make the
housing part 11 rotate to wind the strap 12 back around the housing
part 11 when the strap 12 is released; the shaft 15 has an upper
end projecting from top of the housing part 11, which upper end has
two flat sides 16 facing opposite directions, and two threaded
arc-shaped sides 17 facing opposite directions; and
[0023] a speed reduction mechanism, which includes a rotary member
2, and a stationary member 3; the rotary member 2 is comprised of a
middle part 21, three rubbing bars 23, and three tension springs
25; the middle part 21 has a middle cavity 211, a connecting hole
213 extending through the middle of the middle cavity 211, three
equidistantly spaced holding rooms 214, three equidistantly spaced
connecting projections 215 each formed with a vertically extending
pivotal hole 218, three spaced apart trenches 216 each having a
connecting pole 217 sticking up from it; the connecting hole 213
has two opposing flat sides 212, and two opposing threaded
arc-shaped sides (not numbered); each rubbing bar 23 has a working
end 235 at a first end, a gap 231 at a second end, a vertically
extending through hole 232 communicating with the gap 231, a trench
234 on an inward side, and a connecting pole 233 sticking up from
the trench 234; each first working end 235 of the rubbing bars 23
is formed with a convexly curved outward side; the stationary
member 3 has a cap portion on the top, several elongated connecting
portions 31 projecting down from an annular portion of the cap
portion; each of the elongated connecting portions 31 has a
securing bar 33 on an outward side thereof, and has a through hole
34; the cap portion has a rubbing surface 32 on an inner side of
the annular portion; the connecting element 13 is provided for
engagement with securing bar 33 of another strap supporting post
after the strap 12 is long stretched to separate an area.
[0024] In combination, the upper end of the shaft 15 is closely
passed through the connecting hole 213 of the middle part 21 of the
rotary member 2 of the speed reduction mechanism, and a nut 22 is
screwed onto the upper end of the shaft 15 so that the middle part
21 can turn together with the winding mechanism. The rubbing bars
23 are pivoted to respective ones of the connecting projections 215
of the middle part 21 at the second ends thereof with pivotal pins
24 being passed through the holes 232 thereof and the pivotal holes
218 of the connecting projections 215, and with the first working
ends 235 thereof being received in respective holding rooms 214 of
the middle part 21. Each rubbing bar 23 is biased close to a
corresponding one of three sides of the middle part 21 by means of
one tension spring 25, which is passed around the connecting poles
233, and 217 at two ring-shaped ends 251, and 252 thereof. The
stationary member 3 is fixedly connected to the base of the winding
mechanism with screws 35 being passed through the through holes 34
thereof, and screwed into the screw holes 18 of the base of the
winding mechanism, and with the rubbing surface 32 of the cap
portion opposing the outward sides of the rubbing bars 23.
[0025] Referring to FIG. 4, the return spring 14 will make the
winding mechanism and the speed reduction mechanism turn for the
strap 12 to be wound back around the housing part 11 after the
strap 12 is released from a long stretched in-use position while
centrifugal force will make the rubbing bars 23 pivot outwards of
the respective holding rooms 214 when the speed reduction mechanism
is forced to turn at such a speed that the centrifugal force is
greater than the force of the tension springs 25 on the rubbing
bars 23. Consequently, the first convexly curved working ends 235
of the rubbing bars 23 are rubbed against the rubbing surface 32 of
the cap portion of the stationary member 3, and in turns, friction
of the rubbing surface 32 against the rubbing bars 223 reduce the
speed of rotation of the rotary member 2 and the winding mechanism,
making the strap 12 wound back around the housing part 11 at a low
speed. After the strap 12 is completely wound around the housing
part 11, the rubbing bars 23 will be made to pivot away from the
rubbing surface 32 of the stationary member 3 by the tension
springs 25, and the strap 12 is again allowed to be pulled to long
stretched position. Furthermore, because the strap 12 is to be
stretched for use by a user's hand, rotation of the rotary member 2
won't be fast enough for the rubbing bars 23 to come into contact
with the rubbing surface 32 when the strap 12 is being stretched,
and in turns, the strap 12 can be smoothly pulled to the long
stretched position.
[0026] From the above description, it can be easily understood that
the strap supporting post in the present invention has advantages
as followings:
[0027] 1. When the strap 12 is released from a long stretched
in-use position, centrifugal force will act on the rubbing bars 23,
and the convexly curved working ends 235 of the rubbing bars 23
will be rubbed against the rubbing surface 32 of the stationary
member 3 in case the rotary member 2 is forced to turn at such a
speed that the centrifugal force is greater than the force of the
tension springs 25 on the rubbing bars 23. And, friction of the
rubbing surface 32 against the rubbing bars 223 will make the strap
12 to be wound back around the housing part 11 slowly.
[0028] 2. For the same reason, the connecting element 13 is
prevented from swinging fast, hitting the post part very hard or
hitting and hurting people near to the post after the strap 12 is
released from a long stretched in-use position. Consequently,
service life of the present post will not be undesirably
reduced.
[0029] 3. When the strap 12 is completely wound around the housing
part 11, the rubbing bars 23 will be made to pivot away from the
rubbing surface 32 by the tension springs 25. And, when the strap
12 is pulled away from the housing part 11 by a user's hand,
rotation of the rotary member 2 won't be fast enough for the
rubbing bars 23 to come into contact with the rubbing surface 32,
and in turns, the strap 12 can be smoothly pulled to the long
stretched position.
* * * * *