U.S. patent application number 11/783209 was filed with the patent office on 2007-12-27 for multi-function supporting rack.
This patent application is currently assigned to PIN ZUEN CO., LTD. Invention is credited to Kun-Chung Lu.
Application Number | 20070295679 11/783209 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 38170595 |
Filed Date | 2007-12-27 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070295679 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Lu; Kun-Chung |
December 27, 2007 |
Multi-function supporting rack
Abstract
A multi-function supporting rack includes a rack unit, a holding
unit and a coupling unit. The rack unit has a fastening member at
the top end and a hollow housing portion at the bottom end thereof.
The holding unit is located on the fastening member to hold an
article. The coupling unit has a latch member located in the
housing portion and a connection member to couple the latch member
and an equipment together. Such a design forms a greater supporting
contact area between the latch member and the housing portion to
provide an improved supporting effect. Moreover, once the latch
member and the connection member are fastened to the equipment, the
housing portion is coupled on the latch member. The finished
assembly of the invention takes less space and installation is
easier.
Inventors: |
Lu; Kun-Chung; (Kaohsiung
Hsien, TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BIRCH STEWART KOLASCH & BIRCH
PO BOX 747
FALLS CHURCH
VA
22040-0747
US
|
Assignee: |
PIN ZUEN CO., LTD
|
Family ID: |
38170595 |
Appl. No.: |
11/783209 |
Filed: |
April 6, 2007 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
211/71.01 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F16M 2200/068 20130101;
F16M 13/022 20130101; F16M 11/2021 20130101; F16M 11/26 20130101;
F16M 2200/02 20130101; F16M 11/10 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
211/71.01 |
International
Class: |
A47G 29/00 20060101
A47G029/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jun 26, 2006 |
TW |
095211156 |
Claims
1. A multi-function supporting rack fastened to an equipment to
hold an article, comprising: a rack unit which has a fastening
member at a top end and a hollow housing portion at a bottom end
thereof; a holding unit fastened to the rack unit to hold the
article; and a coupling unit which has a latch member located in
the housing portion and a connection member to couple the latch
member and the equipment together.
2. The multi-function supporting rack of claim 1, wherein the rack
unit further has two lugs on an outer surface of the housing
portion, the coupling unit further having an adjustment member
running through the lugs to adjust the distance between the lugs
and change the inner diameter of the housing portion to tightly
clamp the latch member.
3. The multi-function supporting rack of claim 2, wherein the rack
unit further has a plurality of bracing bars coupling with one
another, the fastening member being located at a top end of a top
bracing bar, the housing portion being located at a bottom end of a
bottom bracing bar.
4. The multi-function supporting rack of claim 3, wherein each of
the bracing bars has a tube, a movable rod movable axially in the
tube and a clipping member to anchor the movable rod in the
tube.
5. The multi-function supporting rack of claim 4, wherein the
connection member is a screw which screws through the latch member
and has a distal end fastened to the equipment.
6. The multi-function supporting rack of claim 4, wherein the
connection member is a C-clamp and has a clipping frame fastened to
the latch member to hold the equipment and a clamping screw running
through the clipping frame to ram the equipment.
7. The multi-function supporting rack of claim 6, wherein the
coupling unit further has a screw which screws through the latch
member and the clipping frame to couple the latch member and the
connection member together.
8. The multi-function supporting rack of claim 5, wherein the
fastening member is a screw and the holding unit is screwed on the
fastening member.
9. The multi-function supporting rack of claim 6, wherein the
fastening member is a screw and the holding unit is screwed on the
fastening member.
10. The multi-function supporting rack of claim 7, wherein the
fastening member is a screw and the holding unit is screwed on the
fastening member.
11. The multi-function supporting rack of claim 8, wherein the
holding unit has a positioning plate coupled on the fastening
member, a nut screwing on the fastening member to compress the
positioning plate and a holding member detachably located on the
tube of one bracing bar, the article being clipped and anchored
between the positioning plate and the holding member.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to a supporting rack and
particularly to a multi-function supporting rack capable fastening
to varying equipment to hold various types of articles.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Referring to FIG. 1, a conventional supporting rack aims to
hold articles such as notebook computers, photographic devices or
the like (not show in the drawing) to enable users to perform
photographic or computer operations. Take a notebook computer as an
example. It has to be positioned at a desired elevation without
being held at a lower elevation such as user's lap to make
operation easier. For a photographic device, it must be held
steadily without the lens wobbling due to unstable hands of
users.
[0003] The conventional supporting rack 1 includes two bracing bars
11 pivotally coupled together, a holding dock 12 located at the top
end of the upper bracing bar 11, a main supporting member 13
located at the bottom end of the lower bracing bar 11 and an
auxiliary supporting bar 14 located on the lower bracing bar
11.
[0004] The two bracing bars 11 are coupled through a coupling
member 15 to generate swiveling movements relative to each other.
The holding dock 12 aims to hold a desired article. The main
supporting member 13 has a main body 131 located at the bottom end
of the lower bracing bar 11 and two fork legs 132 extended from the
main body 131 in a spaced manner. The two fork legs 132 are run
through by a shank 161 of a screw 16 with a distal end of the screw
16 fastened to an equipment 21. The screw 16 has a screw head 162
ramming to the two fork legs 132 to anchor the supporting rack 1 on
the equipment 21.
[0005] By ramming the screw head 162 to the two fork legs 132 a
small contact area is formed. The supporting rack 1 is prone to
sway. Therefore the auxiliary member 14 is deployed to anchor on
another equipment 21 to provide another supporting function in
addition to the main supporting member 13 to get a better support
effect for the supporting rack 1.
[0006] The design of the supporting rack 1 set forth above has to
rely two equipment 21 to hold the main supporting member 13 and the
auxiliary supporting member 14. It is inconvenient when in use. It
requires more supporting elements and takes more space. Assembly
and installation also are less efficient.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] The primary object of the present invention is to provide a
multi-function supporting rack that is easier to assemble and
install, takes less space and can provide improved supporting
effect.
[0008] The multi-function supporting rack according to the
invention aims to hold an article. It is fastened to an equipment
and includes a rack unit, a holding unit and a coupling unit.
[0009] The rack unit has a fastening member at a top end and a
hollow housing portion at a bottom end. The holding unit is located
on the fastening member of the rack unit to hold the article. The
coupling unit has a latch member held in the housing portion of the
rack unit and a connection member to couple the latch member and
the equipment together.
[0010] The present invention provides the following functions:
through latch member held in the hollow housing portion at the
bottom end of the rack unit, a greater contact area is formed
between the latch member and the housing portion to provide
improved supporting effect; with the latch member and the
connection member coupled and fastened to the equipment, the
housing portion is coupled on the latch member. Thus after assembly
and installation the invention takes less space. Assembly and
installation also are easier.
[0011] The foregoing, as well as additional objects, features and
advantages of the invention will be more readily apparent from the
following detailed description, which proceeds with reference to
the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a conventional supporting
rack.
[0013] FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the invention.
[0014] FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view of the invention
showing a coupling unit fastened to an equipment.
[0015] FIG. 4 is a fragmentary top view of the invention showing a
latch member wedged tightly in a housing portion.
[0016] FIG. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of a second
embodiment of the invention.
[0017] FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view of a third embodiment
of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0018] Please refer to FIG. 2 for a first embodiment of the
multi-function supporting rack 3 of the invention. It is fastened
to an equipment 42 to hold an article 41. It includes a rack unit
31, a holding unit 32 and a coupling unit 33.
[0019] The rack unit 31 has two bracing bars 311 pivotally coupled
together, a fastening member 312 located at a top end of the upper
bracing bar 311, a hollow housing portion 313 located at a bottom
end of the lower bracing bar 311 and two lugs 314 located on the
outer surface of the housing portion 313.
[0020] While this embodiment shows that the two bracing bars 311
are pivotally coupled together, a single bracing bar 311 may also
be adopted, or two bracing bars 311 may be coupled together at a
fixed angle.
[0021] Each of the bracing bars 311 has a tube 315, a movable rod
316 movable axially in the tube 315, and a clipping member 317 to
anchor the movable rod 316 in the tube 315. By means of such a
design the length of each bracing bar 311 can be adjusted. The
clipping member 317 can change the inner diameter of the tube 315
to tightly clamp the movable rod 316 in the tube 315 for anchoring.
The clipping member 317 is known in the art, thus details are
omitted.
[0022] The fastening member 312 is a screw. The holding unit 32 is
screwed on the fastening member 312, and may be selected according
to the type of the article 41. Referring to FIG. 2, the article 41
is a notebook computer. The holding unit 32 is a holding dock to
hold the notebook computer. If the article 41 is a photographic
device, the holding unit 32 is a loading deck to hold the
photographic device.
[0023] Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the coupling unit 33 has a latch
member 331 held in the housing portion 313, a connection member 332
to couple the latch member 331 with the equipment 42, and an
adjustment member 333 running through the two lugs 314 (shown only
in FIG. 2). The connection member 332 is a screw.
[0024] Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, during assembly and installation
the connection member 332 runs through the latch member 331 with a
distal end thereof screwing on the equipment 42; the housing
portion 313 is coupled on the latch member 331; the adjustment
member 333 runs through the two lugs 314 to adjust the distance
between the two lugs 314 and change the inner diameter of the
housing portion 313 to tightly clamp the latch member 331. Thereby
the latch member 331 is clamped tightly in the housing portion 313
without escaping easily. By screwing of the connection member 332,
the latch member 331 and equipment 42 can be coupled together.
[0025] By means of the design previously discussed, the latch
member 331 and the housing portion 313 form a greater supporting
contact area. Compared with the conventional supporting rack 1 in
which a small supporting contact area is formed between the screw
head 162 and the two fork legs 132 and a smaller supporting effect
is ensued, the multi-function supporting rack 3 of the invention
can provide an improved supporting effect. Moreover, during
assembly and installation of the multi-function supporting rack 3,
after the connection member 332 has been screwed through the latch
member 331 and the equipment 42, the housing portion 313 is coupled
on the latch member 331. Assembly and installation is much easier.
Compared with the conventional supporting rack 1 which has to brace
the bottom and the perimeter of the bracing bar 11 and result in a
greater size, the multi-function supporting rack 3 of the invention
is braced merely at the bottom. Hence the product can be formed at
a smaller size and takes less space.
[0026] Refer to FIG. 5 for a second embodiment of the
multi-function supporting rack 3 of the invention. It differs from
the first embodiment by having a positioning plate 321 coupled on
the fastening member 312, a nut 324 fastening to the fastening
member 312 to clamp the positioning plate 321, and a holding member
322 detachably located on the tube 315 of one bracing bar 311. The
positioning plate 321 is substantially formed in U-shape. The
holding member 322 is elongated and has a holding flute 323. The
article 41 is like an easel (shown by broken lines in the drawings)
to be held in the holding flute 323 and clipped between the
positioning plate 321 and the holding flute 323.
[0027] By means of the construction set forth above the
multi-function supporting rack 3 can hold the easel without limited
to holding the photographic device or notebook computer as depicted
in the first embodiment.
[0028] Refer to FIG. 6 for a third embodiment of the multi-function
supporting rack 3 of the invention. It differs from the first
embodiment by having the connection member 332 formed in a C-clamp
with a clipping frame 335 fastened to the latch member 331 to hold
the equipment 42, and a clamping screw 336 running through the
clipping frame 335 to ram the equipment 42. The coupling unit 33
further has a screw 334 screwing the latch member 331 and the
clipping frame 335 to couple the latch member 331 and the
connection member 332 together.
[0029] In this embodiment the latch member 331 and the connection
member 332 are screwed together through the screw 334. However,
this is not a limitation. The latch member 331 and the connection
member 332 may also be formed integrally in one piece.
[0030] When this embodiment is in use, the equipment 42 is clipped
in the clipping frame 335; the clamping screw 336 is turned to ram
against the equipment 42 to anchor the equipment 42 between the
clipping frame 335 and the clamping screw 336. Compared with the
first embodiment in which a screw hole must be formed on the
equipment 42 to fasten the connection member 332, this embodiment
can clip the equipment 42 between the clipping frame 335 and the
clamping screw 336 without restricting to a fixed screwing like the
first embodiment. It provides users another coupling method.
[0031] In short, by forming a hollow portion 313 at the bottom end
of the rack unit 31 to hold the latch member 331, a greater
supporting contact area is formed between them to achieve an
improved supporting effect. Moreover, after the latch member 331
and the connection member 332 are coupled and installed on the
equipment 42 the housing portion 313 is coupled the latch member
331. Thus the invention does not take much space, and assembly and
installation also are much easier.
* * * * *