Angle-adjustable, auto-locking apparatus support

• US 6,113,046 A
• Filed: 08/26/1999
• Issued: 09/05/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: James Wang
• Original Assignee: James Wang
• Inventors: Wang, James
• Primary Examiner(s): Ramirez, Ramon O.
• Assistant Examiner(s): DELUCA, JEROME A
• Application Number:
  US09/383,362
• Time in Patent Office: 376 Days
• Field of Search: 248/278.1, 248/274.1, 248/276.1, 248/280.11, 248/920, 248/918, 248/921
• US Class Current: 248/278.1
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 21/0314 Platforms for supporting office equipment
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/12 in more than one direction
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/2064 for tilting and panning F16M11/2078 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 13/02 for supporting on, or attaching to, an object, e.g. tree, gate, window-frame, cycle
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 2200/022 by friction
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 2200/068 being part of the undercarriage

Abstract

An angle-adjustable, auto-locking apparatus support for supporting an apparatus above a table or the like for enabling the apparatus to be conveniently adjusted to the desired elevation and angle, which includes an upright support, two connectors coupled to top and bottom ends of the upright support, a link coupled between the connectors and forming with the upright support and the connectors a parallel four-bar linkage, two spindles respectively and transversely mounted in the connector, and two pairs of spiral springs reversely mounted on the spindles at two opposite sides of each of the connectors and respectively connected between the spindles and the upright support.

Claims

1. An angle-adjustable, auto-locking apparatus support comprising:

an upright support having a top end and a bottom end;

a pair of connectors respectively coupled to a pair of spindles at the top and bottom ends of said upright support, said connectors each having a locating hole such that said two spindles are respectively mounted in said locating holes of each of said connectors, said connectors including a first connector disposed at the top end of said upright support for securing an apparatus to said support, and a second connector disposed at the bottom end of said upright support for securing said upright support to a fixed surface;

a plurality of spiral springs respectively mounted on said spindles, said spiral springs each having one end fastened to one of said spindles and an opposite end fastened to said upright support and;

a link coupled between said connectors and forming with said connectors and said upright support a parallel four-bar linkage, each of said connectors comprising a cylindrical axle holder for coupling to said apparatus to be supported, a pair of coupling plates raised from the periphery of said cylindrical axle holder and coupled to one of said spindles, said link having one end received within a gap formed between said coupling plates.

2. The angle-adjustable, auto-locking apparatus support of claim 1 wherein said coupling plates each have a hole pivoted to one end of said link.

3. The angle-adjustable, auto-locking apparatus support of claim 1 wherein said cylindrical axle holder defines an axle hole for mounting.

4. The angle-adjustable, auto-locking apparatus support of claim 1 wherein said spindles each have two notches at two opposite ends for holding one end of each of said spiral springs.

5. The angle-adjustable, auto-locking apparatus support of claim 1 further comprising two pairs of holder shells respectively and fixedly fastened to the top and bottom ends of said upright support and coupled to said spindles at two opposite sides of each of said connectors, said holder shells each comprising a hollow holder portion, which receives one of said spiral springs, a through hole at the center of said holder portion for the passing of one end of one of said spindles, and a mounting portion extended from said holder portion and fixedly connected to said upright support.

6. The angle-adjustable, auto-locking apparatus support of claim 5 wherein said holder shells each further comprise an inside notch disposed between the respective holder portion and the respective mounting portion for holding one end of one of said spiral springs.

7. The angle-adjustable, auto-locking apparatus support of claim 5 wherein said spindles each comprise a spindle body having a non-circular cross section mounted in the locating hole at each of said connectors, and two threaded extension rods longitudinally extended from two distal ends of said spindle body in reversed directions and respectively inserted into a through hole at the center of the holder portion of each of said holder shells and screwed up with a respective cap nut.

8. The angle-adjustable, auto-locking apparatus support of claim 1 wherein said spiral springs are respectively mounted on said spindles, and disposed at one side of said connectors.

9. The angle-adjustable, auto-locking apparatus support of claim 1 further comprising a braking plate secured to said cap nut to said mounting portion.

10. The angle-adjustable, auto-locking apparatus support of claim 9 wherein said spiral springs are arranged in pair and mounted on said spindles in reversed directions.

11. The angle-adjustable, auto-locking apparatus support of claim 1 wherein said upright support comprises two parallel hollow locating frames extended in longitudinal direction.

12. An angle-adjustable, auto-locking apparatus support, comprising:

an upright support having two parallel side walls;

two pairs of bolts respectively mounted in the side walls of said upright support near top and bottom ends of said upright support;

two connectors respectively coupled to said bolts at top and bottom ends of said upright support, said connectors each having two parallel side walls and a transverse locating hole through the parallel side walls;

two spindles respectively and transversely mounted in the locating holes between the two parallel side walls of each of said connectors;

a plurality of spiral springs respectively mounted on said bolts inside said upright support, said spiral springs each having one end respectively fastened to said bolts and an opposite end respectively fastened to said connectors, each of said bolts having an end notch for holding one end of each of said spiral springs; and

a link coupled between said spindles, and forming with said upright support arm and said connectors a parallel four-bar linkage.

13. The angle-adjustable, auto-locking apparatus support of claim 12 wherein said connectors each comprise at least one locating rod on the inside for holding one end of each of said spiral springs.

14. The angle-adjustable, auto-locking apparatus support of claim 12 wherein the two bolts of each of said pairs of bolts are spaced from each other by a gap so that said link can be moved through the gap between the two bolts of one of said pairs of bolts when said link is turned with said upright support relative to one of said connectors.

15. The angle-adjustable, auto-locking apparatus support of claim 12 wherein the spiral springs are arranged in pair and respectively coupled to said connectors in reversed direction.