Knuckle arm

• US 7,012,675 B1
• Filed: 12/22/2004
• Issued: 03/14/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Asia Optical Company Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Asia Optical Company Incorporated
• Inventors: Zhang, Kuang-Wei, Chen, Tai-Xiong
• Primary Examiner(s): King, Anita
• Assistant Examiner(s): Le, Tan
• Application Number:
  US11/021,360
• Publication Number:
  US 20060060736A1
• Time in Patent Office: 447 Days
• Field of Search: 355/75, 355/76, 355/72, 347/101, 347/104, 347/108, 399/361, 399/363, 399/380, 162/89, 162/94, 248/284.1, 248/276.1, 248/286.11, 248/287.1
• US Class Current: 355/75
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 27/62 Holders for the original G03B27/53 takes precedence ; for electrophotographic copiers G03G15/60

Abstract

A knuckle arm interconnects a machine body and a top cover of a machine, and includes a base fixed on the machine body and having a receiving frame, an inner sliding seat slidable within the receiving frame and having a cam surface, a resilient member disposed between the receiving frame and the inner sliding seat, a first pivotable seat sleeved on the base, a pressing rod extending through the first pivotable seat and biased to contact the cam surface, and a second pivotable seat slidable on the first pivotable seat and attached to the top cover of the machine.

Claims

1. A knuckle arm adapted to be connected to a machine body and a top cover of a machine, said knuckle arm comprising:

a base including a mounting plate unit adapted to be disposed fixedly on the machine body, two pivot plates connected fixedly to said mounting plate unit, two first pivot holes formed respectively through said pivot plates, and a receiving frame secured between said pivot plates, said receiving frame including a top wall, a bottom wall that is spaced apart from said top wall, and an abutment wall interconnecting said top and bottom walls fixedly to define an accommodating chamber among said top wall, said bottom wall, said abutment wall and said pivot plates;

an inner sliding seat disposed movably within said accommodating chamber in said base and having a cam surface;

at least one resilient member disposed within said accommodating chamber in said base and biasing said inner sliding seat to move away from said abutment wall;

a first pivotable seat including two first wing plates located respectively to two opposite sides of an assembly of said pivot plates, a first connecting plate interconnecting said first wing plates fixedly, two through holes formed respectively through said first wing plates, and two apertures formed respectively through said first wing plates;

a pressing rod extending through said through holes in said first pivotable seat and biased by said resilient member to contact said cam surface of said inner sliding seat;

a second pivotable seat including

two second wing plates located respectively to two opposite sides of an assembly of said first wing plates of said first pivotable seat,

a second connecting plate interconnecting said second wing plates fixedly and adapted to be attached to the top cover of the machine,

two limiting plates connected respectively and fixedly to and perpendicular to the second wing plates to define a limiting chamber among said second wing plates, said second connecting plate and said limiting plates,

two second pivot holes formed respectively through said second wing plates, and

two curved slots formed respectively through said second wing plates;

a first pivot rod extending through said second pivot holes in said second pivotable seat and said first pivot holes in said base; and

a second pivot rod extending through said curved slots in said second pivotable seat and said apertures in said first pivotable seat.

2. The knuckle arm as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first pivotable seat further includes two engagement blocks extending respectively and integrally from said first wing plates toward each other and situated such that said second pivot rod presses against said engagement blocks.

3. The knuckle arm as claimed in claim 2, wherein said top and bottom walls of said base are inclined relative to said mounting plate unit, said inner sliding seat being movable within said accommodating chamber in said base in a direction inclined relative to said mounting plate unit.

4. The knuckle arm as claimed in claim 3, further comprising a third pivotable seat and a third pivot rod, said second pivotable seat further including two third pivot holes formed respectively through said second wing plates, said third pivotable seat including two third wing plates located respectively to two opposite sides of an assembly of said second wing plates of said second pivotable seat, a coupling plate interconnecting said third wing plates fixedly and adapted to be connected fixedly to the top cover of the machine, two fourth pivot holes formed respectively through said third wing plates, and two fifth pivot holes formed respectively through said third wing plates, said first pivotable seat further including two slots formed respectively through said first wing plates, said third pivot rod extending through said fourth pivot holes in said third pivotable seat, said third pivot holes in said second pivotable seat, and said slots in said first pivotable seat, said second pivot rod extending through said fifth pivot holes in said third pivotable seat, said curved slots in said second pivotable seat, and said apertures in said first pivotable seat.

5. The knuckle arm as claimed in claim 4, wherein said resilient member is configured as a coiled compression spring that has a first end foot pressing against said abutment wall of said receiving frame of said base, and a second end foot pressing against said inner sliding seat.

6. The knuckle arm as claimed in claim 5, wherein said cam surface of said inner sliding seat has opposite first and second ends, and a convex middle portion disposed between said first and second ends.

7. The knuckle arm as claimed in claim 6, wherein said inner sliding seat further has an abutment surface opposite to said cam surface, and four engagement walls extending from said abutment surface toward said abutment wall of said receiving frame, said engagement walls abutting respectively against said pivot plates, and said top and bottom walls of said base.

8. The knuckle arm as claimed in claim 7, wherein said inner sliding seat further has an annular flange that extends from said abutment surface toward said abutment wall of said base, said second end foot of said resilient member being sleeved on said annular flange in a close fitting manner.