Support device for supporting objects

• US 5,788,202 A
• Filed: 05/28/1996
• Issued: 08/04/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Harald Richter
• Original Assignee: Herbert Richter
• Inventors: Richter, Herbert
• Primary Examiner(s): Braun, Leslie A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): BAXTER, GWENDOLYN WRENN
• Application Number:
  US08/654,122
• Time in Patent Office: 798 Days
• Field of Search: 248/316.4, 248/316.2, 248/316.3, 248/316.6, 248/309.1, 248/222.13, 248/222.51, 248/222.52, 248/221.12, 248/221.11, 248/311.2, 224/570, 224/929, 379/446, 379/455, 379/426, 379/454, 379/449
• US Class Current: 248/316.4
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/0241 for telephones
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0071 using latches, clips, clamps, straps or the like
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 224/929 Article carrier for electrical device

Abstract

In a support device for firmly supporting objects, particularly for supporting a telephone in a vehicle, wherein the device has clamping wall structures mounted on a base body so as to be slideable thereon, pivots are provided in engagement with the clamping wall structures for movement of the clamping wall structures in unison toward, and away from each other and a locking disc is mounted on the pivots for movement therewith and locking structures are arranged adjacent the locking disc which selectively engage the locking disc to permit movement of the clamping wall structures toward each other but not away from one another, the locking disc being releasable by disengaging a locking member. Preferably the pivots includes a pin and slotted hole arrangement for transferring linear motion from the clamping wall structures to the pivots and the locking structures are friction wedges engaging the locking disc in a stepless fashion.

Claims

1. A support device for firmly supporting objects particularly for supporting a telephone in a vehicle, said device comprising:

a base body, first and second clamping wall structures extending from said base body so as to be disposed opposite one another, at least one of said clamping wall structures being slideably supported on said base body so as to be movable toward, and away from, the other of said clamping wall structures, a pivot member pivotally supported by a shaft projecting from said base body and including an engagement structure formed on one of said pivot member and said clamping wall structures and being recieved in said engagement structure for transforming linear movement of said clamping wall structure into pivot movement of said pivot member, spring means for biasing said one clamping wall structure away from the other clamping wall structure, and a locking structure operatively connected to said pivot member for locking said pivot member and, together therewith, said clamping wall structure in position, and means for releasing said locking structure to permit said springs to move said one clamping wall structure away from the other clamping wall structure.

2. The support device according to claim 1, wherein both said clamping wall structures are slideably supported on said base body so as to be movable toward, and away from, one another.

3. The support device according to claim 2, wherein said pivot member includes a pivot center and two engagement structures arranged diametrically opposite each other with respect to the pivot center of said pivot member and one of said clamping wall structures is connected with one and the other of said clamping wall structures is connected with the other of said engagement structures for concurrent movement of said clamping wall structures in opposite directions.

4. The support device according to claim 3, wherein said engagement structures comprise radially extending elongated holes formed in said pivot member and pins extending from said clamping wall structures into said elongated holes.

5. The support device according to claim 4, wherein said pivot member is a pivot disc having a center opening receiving said shaft, said pivot disc having a collar formed around said center opening and having a radial projection, said locking member being mounted on said collar for movement with said pivot disc.

6. The support device according to claim 5, wherein said locking structure comprises a ratchet disc having ratchet teeth at its circumference and said locking structure includes a pawl for locking said ratchet disc in a stepwise fashion.

7. The support device according to claim 1, wherein said shaft is disposed on said base body slightly off center with regard to a longitudinal center line of said base body toward one of said clamping wall structures and said clamping wall structures have slide bases, the slide base of said one clamping wall structure being wider than that of the other and having in its clamping wall a recess into which the front end of the slide base of the other clamping wall structure extends when said clamping wall structures are in their closest positions.

8. A support device for firmly supporting objects, particularly for supporting a telephone in a vehicle, said device comprising:

a base body, first and second clamping wall structures extending from said base body so as to be disposed opposite one another, at least one of said clamping wall structures being supported on said base body so as to be linearly movable toward, and away from, the other of said clamping wall structures, a pivot member supported on a shaft extending from said base body, means for transferring the linear motion of at least said first clamping wall structure to said pivot member, springs for biasing said first clamping wall structure away from the second clamping wall structure, a locking disc having a circumferential friction surface and being operatively connected to said pivot member for movement therewith, at least one spring-biased frictional locking member arranged adjacent the circumferential friction surface of said locking disc for locking frictional engagement therewith to prevent movement of said first clamping wall structure away from the second clamping wall structure and a release member for disengaging said frictional locking member from said locking disc to permit said springs to move said first structure away from the second clamping wall structure.

9. The support device according to claim 8, wherein both said clamping wall structures are slideably supported on said base body so as to be movable toward, and away from, one another.

10. The support device according to claim 9, wherein said pivot member has a pivot center and includes two engagement structures arranged diametrically opposite each other with respect to the pivot center of said pivot member and one of said clamping wall structures is connected with one and the other of said clamping wall structures is connected with the other of said engagement structures for concurrent movement of said clamping wall structures in opposite directions.

11. The support device according to claim 10, wherein said engagement structures comprise radially extending elongated holes formed in said pivot member and pins projecting from said clamping wall structures into said elongated holes.

12. The support device according to claim 11, wherein said pivot member is a pivot disc having a center opening receiving said shaft, said pivot disc having a collar formed around said center opening, and said locking disc being mounted on said collar for movement with said pivot disc.

13. The support device according to claim 12, wherein said frictional engagement member is a locking wedge connected to said release member for frictionally locking and releasing said locking disc in a stepless fashion.

14. The support device according to claim 13, wherein said locking disc is provided with a friction-increasing circumferential friction surface.

15. The support device according to claim 14, wherein said locking disc has a circumferential groove and an O-ring is disposed in said groove and extends around said friction disc.

16. The support device according to claim 15, wherein a lever arm with elongated holes at its opposite ends is pivotally supported on said shaft and said locking wedge associated with said locking release member has a pin extending into one of said elongated holes and another locking wedge is disposed opposite the locking wedge associated with said locking release member and also has a pin extending into said other of said elongated holes for movement of said locking wedges in opposite directions, said other locking wedge being slideably supported by a support wall of said device.

17. The support device according to claim 16, wherein a back cover is provided for said base body and said support wall extends from said back cover.

18. The support device according to claim 16, wherein id locking wedges have shaped friction surfaces for engement with said O-ring.

19. The support device according to claim 8, wherein said shaft is disposed on said base body with regard to a longitudinal center line of said base body slightly off center toward one of said clamping wall structures and said clamping wall structures have slide bases, the slide base of said one clamping wall structure being wider than that of the other and having in its clamping wall a recess into which the front end of the slide base of the other clamping wall structure extends when said clamping wall structures are in their closest positions.