SUPPORT ARM

• US 20130157501A1
• Filed: 09/13/2010
• Published: 06/20/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Ishii, Daisuke, Ichikawa, Shinji
• Granted Patent: US 8,985,537 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 439/527
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 19/0016 using springs
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1065 with parallelograms
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 3/015 using articulated- or supple-guiding elements
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/14 with ball-joint ball-jointed hinges F16C11/06 ; adjustable mountings employing universal joints for lighting devices F21V21/26 - F21V21/30
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/18 with mechanism for moving the apparatus relatively to the stand
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/2092 comprising means allowing depth adjustment, i.e. forward-backward translation of the head relatively to the undercarriage
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/24 changeable in height or length of legs, also for transport only, e.g. by means of tubes screwed into each otherF16M11/42 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 2200/044 for balancing rotational movement of the undercarriage
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 2200/063 Parallelogram arms
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/60 Means for supporting coupling part when not engaged

Abstract

A support arm includes a bracket supported by a support, a bracket arranged away from the bracket, a parallel link arranged between the bracket and the bracket and coupled pivotally to the bracket and the bracket, and a self-weight compensation device producing a force that cancels a force of gravity acting on the parallel link. The parallel link has an upper shaft and a lower shaft arranged in parallel to each other with spacing, the spacing being changed with a pivoting movement of the parallel link. The upper shaft and the lower shaft are arranged offset with respect to each other in a direction of an axis on which the parallel link is pivoted. With such a structure, a support arm for which a large movable range is achieved is provided.

Claims

1. A support arm comprising:

a first joint part supported by a base;

a second joint part arranged away from said first joint part;

a first parallel link arranged between said first joint part and said second joint part and coupled pivotally to said first joint part and said second joint part; and

a self-weight compensation device producing a force that cancels a force of gravity acting on said first parallel link,

said first parallel link having a first shaft and a second shaft arranged in parallel to each other with spacing, the spacing being changed with a pivoting movement of said first parallel link,

said first shaft and said second shaft being arranged offset with respect to each other in a direction of an axis on which said first parallel link is pivoted,

when said first parallel link is positioned to extend laterally from said first joint part, said first shaft being located above said second shaft,

said second shaft having a thickness greater than the thickness of said first shaft, and

a wiring line extending from said first joint part toward said second joint part being fixed to said second shaft.

2. The support arm according to claim 1, wherein

a stored state of the support arm is attained when said first parallel link is positioned to rise upwardly from said first joint part, and

in the stored state, said first shaft and said second shaft are arranged to overlap each other when seen from the direction of the axis on which said first parallel link is pivoted.

3. The support arm according to claim 2, wherein in the stored state of the support arm, said first shaft and said second shaft extend in a vertical direction from said first joint part toward said second joint.

4. The support arm according to claim 1, wherein said first parallel link has a plurality of said first shafts arranged offset with respect to said second shaft in the direction of the axis on which said first parallel link is pivoted.

5. The support arm according to claim 4, wherein the plurality of said first shafts are arranged symmetrically on the both sides of said second shaft in the direction of the axis on which said first parallel link is pivoted.

8. The support arm according to claim 1, further comprising:

a third joint part arranged away from said second joint part; and

a second parallel link arranged between said second joint part and said third joint part and coupled pivotally to said second joint part and said third joint part, wherein

said second parallel link has a third shaft and a fourth shaft arranged in parallel to each other with spacing, the spacing being changed with a pivoting movement of said second parallel link, and

said third shaft and said fourth shaft are arranged offset with respect to each other in a direction of an axis on which said second parallel link is pivoted.

9. The support arm according to claim 8, wherein

a stored state of the support arm is attained when said first parallel link is positioned to rise upwardly from said first joint part and said second parallel link is folded toward said first parallel link with said second joint part serving as a fulcrum, and

in the stored state, said first shaft and said second shaft are arranged to overlap each other when seen from the direction of the axis on which said first parallel link is pivoted, and said third shaft and said fourth shaft are arranged to overlap each other when seen from the direction of the axis on which said second parallel link is pivoted.

10. The support arm according to claim 1, further comprising a charging connector provided to be connectable to a vehicle, and moving with the pivoting movement of said first parallel link.

6. (canceled)

7. (canceled)