U.S. patent application number 10/680108 was filed with the patent office on 2005-05-26 for supporting structure.
Invention is credited to Yeh, Ta-Kuang.
Application Number | 20050109899 10/680108 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34590631 |
Filed Date | 2005-05-26 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050109899 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Yeh, Ta-Kuang |
May 26, 2005 |
Supporting structure
Abstract
An improved supporting structure, having body member made of
flexible material. The body member is tightly wrapped by an
exterior covering member made by injecting mold process. The
exterior covering member is made of soft material with a bellow
configuration. The body member can be bent with a desired angle by
folding the exterior covering member. One end of the supporting
structure has a suction device to attach the supporting structure
to a wall, while the other end has a supporting device for
supporting an object. The body member and the exterior covering
member are integrally formed, such that the manufacturing cost and
time can be reduced, while the flexibility is improved.
Inventors: |
Yeh, Ta-Kuang; (Taipei City,
TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Yi-Wen Tseng
509 ROOSEVELT BLVD. #D306
FALL CHURCH
VA
22044
US
|
Family ID: |
34590631 |
Appl. No.: |
10/680108 |
Filed: |
October 8, 2003 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
248/205.5 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F16B 47/00 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
248/205.5 |
International
Class: |
A45D 042/14 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A supporting structure, comprising: an elongate body member made
of flexible material and being bendable and foldable with unlimited
angle; an exterior covering member, directly formed on the elongate
body member by an injection mold process, wherein the exterior
covering member exposes two ends of the elongate member and has a
bellow configuration; a suction device, connected to one of the
exposed end of the elongate body member; and a holding device,
connected to the other exposed end of the elongate body member.
2. The structure according to claim 1, wherein the flexible
material includes aluminum material.
3. The structure according to claim 1, wherein the exterior
covering member includes soft plastic material.
4. The structure according to claim 1, wherein the exterior
covering member has a diameter gradually reduced from two ends to a
center thereof.
5. The structure according to claim 1, wherein the elongate body
member has a roughened exterior surface.
6. The structure according to claim 1, wherein the suction device
includes a suction disk.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to a supporting structure for
holding and supporting an object, and more particularly, to a
supporting structure bendable or foldable with any angle.
[0002] A conventional supporting structure, for example, the
supporting structure as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,234,435,
includes a flexible body member made of aluminum. The exterior side
surface of the body member is coated with an exterior covering
member with a bellow configuration. The exterior covering member is
fabricated from plastic material for bending or folding the
supporting structure with a specific orientation. However, there is
a gap between the body member and the exterior covering member,
that is, a portion of the body member is not in contact with the
exterior covering member. A suction disk and a fixing seat are
pivotally connected to two ends of the supporting structure, such
that one end of the supporting structure can be attached to a wall
surface. In application, the supporting structure is bent to a
specific location for holding an object to be supported.
[0003] As the above supporting structure is formed by assembling
two individual members, that is, the body member and the exterior
covering member together by an additional assembly step, which
consumes extra time and labor. Further, the gap existing between
body member and the exterior covering member causes difficulty in
bending and folding the supporting structure.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] The present invention provides an improved supporting
structure. The improved supporting structure is fabricated by a
single mold, such that the fabricating time and labor are
reduced.
[0005] The present invention further provides an improved
supporting structure which is formed by a single mold, such that no
gap is formed between the body member and the exterior covering
member. Therefore, it is easier to bend and fold the supporting
structure.
[0006] The improved supporting structure provided by the present
invention comprises a body member made of flexible material and an
exterior covering member integrally injected around the body
member. Therefore, the body member is tightly wrapped by the
exterior covering member and is bendable and foldable by operating
the exterior covering member. The supporting structure includes a
suction device at one end thereof, and a holding device at the
other end thereof. Therefore, the supporting device can be attached
to a wall surface by the suction device, while the other end of the
supporting structure can hold an object by the holding device.
[0007] In one embodiment, the body member is made of flexible
aluminum with a roughened surface, allowing the exterior covering
member made of soft plastic material tightly wrapping the body
member therein.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] These, as well as other features of the present invention,
will become apparent upon reference to the drawings wherein:
[0009] FIG. 1 shows perspective view of a supporting structure
provided by the present invention;
[0010] FIG. 2 shows a cross sectional view of the supporting
structure;
[0011] FIG. 3 shows an exploded view of the supporting
structure;
[0012] FIG. 4 shows the assembly of the supporting structure;
[0013] FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view of FIG. 4; and
[0014] FIG. 6 shows the operation of the supporting structure.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0015] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the supporting structure provided
by the present invention comprises an elongate body member 1.
Preferably, the body member is made of flexible material such as
aluminum material to be bendable or foldable with any degree as
desired.
[0016] An exterior covering member 2 is formed to wrap around the
elongate body member 2. In this embodiment, the exterior covering
member 2 is formed by direct mold injection onto the side surface
of the body member 2 with two connecting ends 11 and 12 exposed
thereby. In this embodiment, the exterior covering member 2 is
fabricated from soft plastic material with bellow configuration.
That is, the exterior covering member 2 includes alternative
recessed slots 21 and protruding ribs 22 along an elongate
direction thereof. Further, the exterior covering member 2 has a
gradually reduced diameter from two ends to the center thereof.
[0017] The elongate body member 1 made of flexible aluminum
material has a roughened surface, such that the exterior covering
member 2 formed of soft plastic material body can tightly wrap
around the body member 1 without forming any gap in between.
[0018] Referring to FIG. 3, in this invention, a suction device 3
and a holding device 4 are formed at two exposed connecting ends 11
and 12 of the elongate member 1. Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, the
suction device 3 includes a suction disk to attach the body member
1 to a wall surface, such as a cement wall surface or a glass wall
surface. The suction device 3 includes a connecting member 31
through which a connecting hole 311 is formed, allowing the
connecting end 11 to be inserted therein.
[0019] The holding device 4 may be magnetic to absorb certain type
of object. Alternatively, the holding device 4 includes a hand-free
piece, such that the phone can be disposed in the hand-free piece
and held by the supporting structure. Other type of supporting
object or set can also be connected to the end 12 as the holding
device 4. The holding device 4 includes a connecting member 41
through which an elongate hole 411 is formed for the connecting end
12 to be inserted therein.
[0020] As shown in FIG. 6, during operation, the suction device 3
is adhered to the wall surface, and the supporting structure 10 is
bent or folded to a desired position, such that the holding device
4 is positioned for holding an object to be supported.
[0021] As the body member 1 and the exterior covering member 2 are
integrated together, no additional assembly step is required.
Further, the tightness between the body member 1 and the exterior
covering member 2 provides an easier bending and folding
property.
[0022] This disclosure provides exemplary embodiments of the
present invention. The scope of this disclosure is not limited by
these exemplary embodiments. Numerous variations, whether
explicitly provided for by the specification or implied by the
specification, such as variations in shape, structure, dimension,
type of material or manufacturing process may be implemented by one
of skill in the art in view of this disclosure.
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