Knuckle arm

• US 7,337,499 B2
• Filed: 07/01/2005
• Issued: 03/04/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/23/2004
• 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): Mah; Chuck Y.
• Application Number:
  US11/173,749
• Publication Number:
  US 20060113457A1
• Time in Patent Office: 977 Days
• Field of Search: 162/84, 162/77, 162/86, 162/70, 162/98, 163/35, 163/84, 163/82, 163/57, 248/284.1, 248/276.1, 248/286.11, 248/287.1, 399/361, 399/363, 399/380, 399/379, 355/75, 355/76
• US Class Current: 16/357
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 3/12 with two parallel pins and one arm
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/608 for machines
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 21/1666 for the exposure unit
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2221/169 Structural door designs

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 a pivot seat connected pivotally to the base and attached to the top cover. A biasing unit is disposed between the base and the pivot seat so as to bias the top cover to pivot upwardly. A friction assembly imparts a resistance to pivoting of the top cover so as to maintain the top cover at any position.

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 adapted to be disposed fixedly on the machine body, and two pivot plates extending respectively from two opposite sides of said mounting plate, each of said pivot plates being formed with a pivot hole;

a pivot seat including two wing plates located respectively to two opposite sides of an assembly of said pivot plates of said base, and a connecting plate interconnecting said wing plates of said pivot seat and adapted to be attached to the top cover of the machine, each of said wing plates of said pivot seat being formed with a first pivot hole;

a first pivot rod extending through said pivot holes in said pivot plates of said base and said first pivot holes in said wing plates of said pivot seat so as to allow for pivoting of said pivot seat about said first pivot rod;

a biasing unit disposed between said base and said pivot seat so as to bias said pivot seat to pivot upwardly about said first pivot rod; and

a friction assembly disposed between said pivot seat and said base so as to impart a resistance to pivoting of said pivot seat about said first pivot rod, thereby maintaining said pivot seat at any position,

wherein each of said pivot plates of said base is formed with a curved guide slot, each of said wing plates of said pivot seat being formed with a through hole, said frictional assembly including a frictional block disposed fixedly on said base and having a frictional surface, and a frictional rod extending through said through holes in said wing plates of said pivot seat and said curved guide slots in said pivot plates of said base and movable to press against said frictional surface of said frictional block.

2. The knuckle arm as claimed in claim 1, wherein said biasing unit includes a first supporting rod extending through said pivot plates of said base, a second supporting rod extending through said wing plates of said pivot seat, and a resilient member disposed between said first and second supporting rods.

3. The knuckle arm as claimed in claim 1, wherein said base further includes a connecting plate extending integrally from said mounting plate and connected fixedly to said pivot plates.

4. 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 adapted to be disposed fixedly on the machine body, and two pivot plates extending respectively from two opposite sides of said mounting plate, each of said pivot plates being formed with a pivot hole;

a pivot seat including two wing plates located respectively to two opposite sides of an assembly of said pivot plates of said base, and a connecting plate interconnecting said wing plates of said pivot seat and adapted to be attached to the top cover of the machine, each of said wing plates of said pivot seat being formed with a first pivot hole;

a first pivot rod extending through said pivot holes in said pivot plates of said base and said first pivot holes in said wing plates of said pivot seat so as to allow for pivoting of said pivot seat about said first pivot rod;

a biasing unit disposed between said base and said pivot seat so as to bias said pivot seat to pivot upwardly about said first pivot rod; and

a friction assembly disposed between said pivot seat and said base so as to impart a resistance to pivoting of said pivot seat about said first pivot rod, thereby maintaining said pivot seat at any position,

wherein said biasing unit includes a first supporting rod extending through said pivot plates of said base, a second supporting rod extending through said wing plates of said pivot seat, and a resilient member disposed between said first and second supporting rods, and

wherein said resilient member is configured as a coiled tension spring, and has two end hooks that engage respectively said first and second supporting rods.

5. The knuckle arm as claimed in claim 4, wherein each of said pivot plates of said base is further formed with a through hole therethrough, said first supporting rod extending through said through holes in said pivot plates of said base.

6. The knuckle arm as claimed in claim 5, wherein each of said wing plates of said pivot seat is further formed with a second pivot hole and a curved slide slot, said knuckle arm further comprising:

a connecting seat including two wing plates located respectively to two opposite sides of an assembly of said wing plates of said pivot seat, and a connecting plate interconnecting fixedly said wing plates of said connecting seat and adapted to be connected fixedly to the top cover of the machine, each of said wing plates of said connecting seat being formed with a pivot hole and a through hole; and

a second pivot rod extending through said second pivot holes in said wing plates of said pivot seat and said pivot holes in said wing plates of said connecting seat so as to allow for pivoting of the top cover relative to said pivot seat about said second pivot rod, said second supporting rod extending through said through holes in said wing plates of said connecting seat and said curved slide slots in said wing plates of said pivot seat.