Anti-pinch knuckle for bidirectional sleeve

• US 6,711,783 B2
• Filed: 02/28/2002
• Issued: 03/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: John M. Lemole
• Original Assignee: John M. Lemole
• Inventors: LeMole, John M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Knight, Anthony
• Assistant Examiner(s): PEAVEY, ENOCH E
• Application Number:
  US10/085,922
• Publication Number:
  US 20030086752A1
• Time in Patent Office: 761 Days
• Field of Search: 163/52, 403/102, 403/161, 403/157, 403/101, 512/1, 511/3, 5 9/91, 114/361
• US Class Current: 16/352
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 7/1204 Control devices, e.g. for compensating tolerances, for defining movement or end position of top, for tensioning the top or for switching to an emergency mode
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 17/02 Awnings , including rigid weather protection structures, e.g. sunroofs; Tarpaulins; Accessories for awnings or tarpaulins
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 19/02 Clear-view screens; Windshields canopies connected to windshields B63B17/02
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 15/48 foldable, i.e. having pivoted or hinged means E04H15/405 and E04H15/46 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 11/10 Arrangements for locking
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/32409 Members locked in axial alignment
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/32951 Transverse pin or stud

Abstract

An articulating strut capable of assuming an extended in-line and a folded configuration with rigid cylindrical tubing having proximate ends configured to fixably receive an offset hinged insert that provides for folding and unfolding of said strut. When fully unfolded the strut acts as a single rigid structural support member held in the locked position by a bidirectional slidable locking sleeve. The hinged insert has shapes and curved surfaces which together with offset hinge pins tends to expel the sleeve from a pinch possibility at the folding joint. Convex and concave linkage shapes together with rounded surfaces which bear against a rounded sleeve end avoids sleeve pinch.

Claims

1. A knuckle having a pair of opposed face hub inserts fixable into a hollow strut with a central longitudinal axis, an outside diameter and strength members adaptable for secure attachment between two fixed points, the knuckle including an articulating joint formed by the inserts which are hinged together by a link pinned to the inserts at a position offset from the longitudinal axis, which knuckle when fixably inserted in proximate ends of the strut, allows the strut single plane movement from a folded back-on-itself position to an extended in-line position, such strut either being locked or unlocked by slidable movement of a bidirectional sleeve which has an inside diameter slightly larger than the outside diameter of the strut so as to ride along the strut between the attachment points, which locking sleeve by gravity or improper operation may have an end thereof lodge in said knuckle, the improvement comprising;

anti-pinch means formed in said knuckle with one or more rounded surface(s) in moveable contact with said bidirectional sleeve for moving said sleeve away from said knuckle.

2. A knuckle in accordance with claim 1 wherein the rounded end of said sleeve further comprises:

a full radius of curvature relative to the thickness of the wall of the sleeve.

3. A knuckle in accordance with claim 2 wherein said anti-pinch means further comprises:

said link having a longitudinal center portion in the shape of a convex curve relative to the fold direction of said strut with the apex of that convex curve located between the two insert faces when said link and inserts are assembled within said strength members.

4. A knuckle in accordance with claim 2 wherein said anti-punch means further comprises:

said link having a longitudinal center portion in the shape of a concave saddle surface relative to the fold direction of said strut with the bottom of the saddle thereof located between the two insert faces when said link and inserts are assembled within said strength members.

5. A knuckle in accordance with claim 4 wherein said concave saddle, located at the bottom thereof, further comprises:

an orthogonal radius of curvature of the top portion as viewed in cross section.

6. A knuckle in accordance with claim 5 wherein said concave saddle further comprises:

a double compound curved surface which continuously encounters some curved portion of the bottom of the sleeve as the sleeve moves away from the link.

7. A knuckle in accordance with claim 1 wherein installation of said strut in a larger framework requires a small but limited amount of longitudinal movement of said strut members, and said insert further comprises:

said recess in said insert includes a shoulder thereon; and

said convex curve has a stop portion thereof coming into contact with said shoulder to restrict longitudinal movement of said strength members to a predetermined amount for installation.

8. A knuckle in accordance with claim 1 wherein said insert hub comprises:

a central post formed in the forward facing portion of the insert by cut-outs in the shape of a longitudinal flat surface opening into the face of the insert; and

said link comprises a split pair of link sections one link section each on either side of said central post.

9. A knuckle in accordance with claim 8 wherein said central post further comprises:

an outer radius of curvature protecting against pinching of the sleeve.

10. A knuckle in accordance with claim 9 and further comprising:

said radius of curvature is formed in said post by an inscribing center positioned at or somewhat tangentially aft of the center of the pin location.

11. A knuckle in accordance with claim 10 and further comprising:

the outer radius of curvature forms a contact surface which bears against said rounded sleeve end with a wiping cam action which tends to move said sleeve away from said link.

12. A knuckle in accordance with claim 1 and further comprising:

an all stainless steel model.

13. An articulating strut which exhibits, when extended, a central longitudinal axis and a potential sleeve pinch at a folding joint for said strut, said strut comprising:

a pair of stiff tubular strut members having proximate hollow ends;

a pair of identical but opposed hub inserts that are fixably insertable into said hollow ends of said tubular members, which hub inserts on the inboard ends thereof each have inboard faces and a longitudinally positioned bridge rotation slot relieved therein;

a bridge cross piece rotatably set into said bridge rotation slots, said cross piece having orthogonal pin receiving holes;

hinge pins orthogonal to and offset from said longitudinal axis securing said bridge to said insert hubs and permitting said tubular members to extend into a straight position which causes said inboard faces of said inserts to be in contact with each other;

a freely slidable bi-directional sleeve which may be manually slid from either direction along said tubular members and over said bridge and hub inserts to lock same as an extended strut and wherein said sleeve, during a folding operation, may become pinched in the folding joint; and

means at said folding joint for expelling said sleeve away from the joint as strut folding takes place.

14. An articulating strut in accordance with claim 13 and further comprising:

said tubular members consisting of two rigid cylindrical tubes;

each tube having located therein detent balls that are spring loaded for holding said sliding sleeve in position over said bridge and inserts when said strut is in an extended in-line configuration.

15. An articulating strut in accordance with claim 13 and said hinge means further comprises:

a flat hinged cross piece with rounded mating sockets set into said rotation slots and secured therein by orthogonal pivot pins in order to create a double knuckle, two axis, folding joint; and

wherein said anti-pinch means

includes a convex upper contact surface which bears against a rounded end of said sleeve in order to develop a vertical force vector which tends to move the sleeve away from the pinch position at said joint for said strut.

16. An articulating strut in accordance with claim 15 and said bridge further comprises;

a generally rectangular shape having rounded rotation corners for said bridge on the folding side of said hinge; and

a folding space formed between said rounded rotation corners for housing said tube ends and said sleeve when said strut is fully folded,

said space being large enough to allow the folded members to move back and forth for field installations, and yet maintain parallelism.

17. An articulating strut for coverings having an attachable strut-securing fixture at each end of said strut for securing said strut between two fixed points, said strut exhibits, when extended, a central longitudinal axis lying on the center line of a longitudinal center line plane, and said strut also having a folding plane orthogonally located relative to said center line plane, said strut being manually collapsible between said fixed points in adverse weather conditions and comprising:

a pair of stiff tubular strut members consisting of two hollow rigid cylindrical tubes having proximate ends;

said tubular member pair adapted at each remote end for connection to strut-securing fixtures of a covering of which said strut is an integral part;

a pair of identical but opposed hub inserts that are fixably insertible into said proximate hollow ends of said tubular members, which hub inserts on the inboard ends thereof each have partially relieved in the lower portion thereof a bridge rotation slot longitudinally positioned essentially from about the center line of each hub through the lowermost surface of the hub insert with the upper portion of said inboard ends of said hubs being non-relieved;

a bridge cross piece rotatably set into said bridge rotation slots, said cross piece having two orthogonal pin receiving holes, which holes are offset below the centerline of said longitudinal axis;

hinge pin means orthogonal to and also offset from said longitudinal axis for securing said bridge cross piece to said insert hubs for an arc rotation in said folding plane from 0 to 180 degrees only, thus permitting said tubular members to extend from a folded position of 180 degrees into a straight position of 0 degrees causing the inboard non-relieved faces of said inserts to be in face-to-face contact with each other;

a freely slidable bidirectional sleeve which is non-removable from said strut but which may be manually slid from either direction along said tubular members toward or away from said strut-securing fixtures to either lock same as an extended strut for deployment of said covering or to permit said strut to fold for collapse of said covering;

each tube having located therein detent balls that are spring loaded upwardly beyond the ends of said sleeve for holding said sliding sleeve in locked position over said folding cross bridge piece when said strut is in an extended in-line configuration;

said detent balls being manually depressible thus permitting said bidirectional sleeve to slide from either direction in order to unlock said bridge piece and thus allow said strut to fold back upon itself while said strut remains fixed at each end; and

said hub inserts being further characterized in that either said hubs or said link have rounded surfaces which bear against a rounded end of said sleeve so as to tend to move said sleeve away from said joint during folding.

18. An articulating strut in accordance with claim 17 wherein said strut has a pair of ends remote from said bridge with each remote end being fitted with end caps for a single plane pivoting connection at strut-securing fixtures, said strut further comprising:

a collection of tubular bows creating a structural skeleton over which is stretched a form fitting weather protective covering for a small marine craft;

a windshield and an aft deck covering formed by said tubular bows; and

said pivoting connections of said strut further comprising

receiving jaws and cap eye attachment fixtures forming pivotable attachment points for connecting remote ends of said folding strut in said structural skeleton; and

said struts together with said bidirectional sleeves permitting said covering to be folded either with said windshield up in place or with said windshield and said deck covering foldable to the deck of said craft.

19. An articulating strut in accordance with claim 18 wherein the rounded end of said sleeve further comprises:

a full radius of curvature relative to the thickness of the wall of the sleeve.

20. An articulating strut in accordance with claim 19 wherein said anti-pinch means further comprises:

said link having a longitudinal center portion in the shape of a convex curve relative to the fold direction of said strut with the apex of that convex curve located between the two insert faces when said link and inserts are assembled within said strength members.

21. An articulating strut in accordance with claim 19 wherein installation of said strut in a larger framework requires a small but limited amount of longitudinal movement of said strut members, and said insert further comprises:

said recess in said insert includes a shoulder thereon; and

said convex curve has a stop portion thereof coming into contact with said shoulder to restrict longitudinal movement of said strength members to a predetermined amount for installation.

22. A knuckle in accordance with claim 21 wherein said anti-pinch means further comprises:

said link having a longitudinal center portion in the shape of a concave saddle surface relative to the fold direction of said strut with the bottom of the saddle thereof located between the two insert faces when said link and inserts are assembled within said strength members.

23. A knuckle in accordance with claim 22 wherein said concave saddle, located at, the bottom thereof, further comprises:

an orthogonal radius of curvature of the top portion as viewed in cross section.

24. A knuckle in accordance with claim 23 wherein said concave saddle further comprises:

a double compound curved surface which continuously encounters some curved portion of the bottom of the sleeve as the sleeve moves away from the link.