Retractable tube assembly

• US 20060193679A1
• Filed: 02/25/2005
• Published: 08/31/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Thomas Lin
• Original Assignee: Thomas Lin
• Inventors: Lin, Thomas
• Application Number:
  US11/065,040
• Publication Number:
  US 20060193679A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 403/109.5
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 7/1427 with cammed or eccentrical surfaces co-operating by relative rotation of the telescoping members or by rotation of an external collar
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/32501 Cam or wedge

Abstract

A retractable tube assembly includes a non-circular inner tube, an elastic locating ring fastened to the bottom end of the inner tube, a rotary actuating member, which has two radially protruding major axis portions and is rotatably mounted inside the elastic locating ring, an outer tube axially slidably coupled to the inner tube, and a rotary knob pivotally coupled to the bottom end of the outer tube and provided with a link inserted into the rotary actuating member for rotating the rotary actuating member between a locking position where the elastic locating ring is peripherally forced against an inside wall of the outer tube to lock the outer tube to the inner tube and an unlocking position where the elastic locating ring is peripherally spaced from the inside wall of the outer tube for enabling the outer tube to be moved axially relative to the inner tube.

Claims

1. A retractable tube assembly comprising:

an inner tube having a non-circular cross section, a top end, and a bottom end;

an elastic locating ring, which is fastened to the bottom end of said inner tube and is substantially in flush with a periphery of said inner tube;

a rotary actuating member mounted inside said locating ring and rotatable relative to said locating ring between a locking position and an unlocking position, said rotary actuating member having a center through hole axially extending through top and bottom sides thereof and at least one radially protruding major axis portion;

an outer tube having a top end sleeved onto the bottom end of said inner tube, a cross section fitting said inner tube, an inside wall facing a periphery of said locating ring, and a bottom end; and

a rotary knob pivotally coupled to the bottom end of said outer tube, said rotary knob having a link inserted through the center through hole of said rotary actuating member for rotating said rotary actuating member between said locking position where said locating ring is peripherally forced against the inside wall of said outer tube to lock said outer tube to said inner tube and said unlocking position where said locating ring is peripherally spaced from the inside wall of said outer tube for enabling said outer tube to be moved axially relative to said inner tube.

2. The retractable tube assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said locating ring has the periphery thereof provided with a rubber band.

3. The retractable tube assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said inner tube has a plug member fastened to the inside of the bottom end thereof, said plug member having a cross section fitting the shape of the cross section of an inner diameter of said inner tube and a center through hole axially extending through top and bottom sides thereof for the passing of said link of said rotary knob;

said locating ring is fixedly fastened to said plug member at a bottom side.

4. The retractable tube assembly as claimed in claim 3, wherein the cross section of said plug member is greater than the cross section of the inner diameter of said inner tube;

said plug member has two grooves spaced around a periphery thereof at different elevations.

5. The retractable tube assembly as claimed in claim 3, wherein said plug member is press-fitted into the bottom end of said inner tube, having a flange stopped outside the bottom end of said inner tube in flush with the periphery of said inner tube.

6. The retractable tube assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said link of said rotary knob has a top end fixedly mounted with an end cap for prohibiting separation between said inner tube and said outer tube during movement of said outer tube relative to said inner tube.

7. The retractable tube assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cross section of the center through hole of said rotary actuating member and the cross section of said link have a rectangular shape.