AU6073098A - Connector for telescopic tube assembly - Google Patents

Description

-1- P/00/011 Regulation 32

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT

ORIGINAL

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a a.

a Name of Applicant: C. LIN Actual Inventor: AS ABOVE Address for service in Australia: CARTER SMITH BEADLE 2 Railway Parade Camberwell Victoria 3124 Australia Invention Title: CONNECTOR FOR TELESCOPIC TUBE ASSEMBLY The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a connector, more particularly, to a connector for telescopic tube assembly that can be readily arranged between two tubes that shall be connected in telescopic manner.

Description of Prior Art There is a plurality of telescopic connector in the existing market.

However, the existing telescopic connector is too complex for actual application. Recently, a simplified telescopic connector, which utilizes eccentric cam, has been developed. As shown in Figure 1, even the overall configuration has been simplified, the configuring elements are to undergo different and complex manufacturing processes. Basically, the connecting body IA that has an eccentric portion shall be firstly made. Then an eccentric adjusting collar 3A is made thereafter. The connecting body IA includes a neck portion 2A in which the eccentric adjusting collar 3A is disposed therein. These manufacturing processes are too complicated and that can not reduce the overall manufacturing cost.

Summary of the Invention In accordance with one aspect, the present invention provides a .:connector for telescopic tube assembly of the type that includes a mother tube and a daughter rod that is moveably disposed within said mother tube, said connector comprising a connecting cylinder that defines a first end and a second end, wherein said first end of said connecting cylinder can be fixedly attached to one end of said daughter rod and said second end of said connecting cylinder is moveably disposed within the inner space of said mother tube together with said daughter rod, said connecting cylinder further including a neck portion that is configured by a first and second diameters that in turn define a first space and second space there above, a locking flap that can match with said neck portion being pivotally disposed at the joint between said first and second diameters, wherein when said locking flap is brought into said first space above said first diameter, the relative position between said daughter GWN:JL:#28056.SPE 8 April 1998 rod and said mother tube can be readily fixed, and wherein when said locking flap is brought into said second space above said second diameter, said daughter rod is free to move with respect to said mother tube.

It is the objective of this invention to provide a telescopic connector that may be integrally formed.

According to another aspect of the present invention, the telescopic connector made thereof features a simplified configuration and the manufacturing cost can be therefore reduced.

Brief Description of Drawings In order that the present invention may more readily be understood the following description is given, merely by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of the conventional telescopic connector; Figure 2 is a perspective view of the telescopic connector made according to the present invention; .:**.Figure 3 is an exploded view of the telescopic connector shown in Figure 2; Figure 4 is a schematic illustration showing the locking flap is not engaged; and S.Figure 5 is still a schematic illustration showing the locking flap is engaged.

Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiment Referring to Figure 2, the telescopic connector made according to the present invention generally comprises a connecting cylinder 1 that has a first end 11 and a second end 12. The outer diameter of the second end 12 is larger than the first end 11. The connecting cylinder I includes a neck portion 2 that is configured by a first and second diameters 2A, 2B. The first diameter 2A is larger than the second diameter 2B. A locking flap 3 that can match with the neck portion 2 is pivotally disposed between the joint between the first and GWN:JL:#28056.SPE 8 Apri 1998 4 second diameters 2A, 2B. The locking flap 3 is free to move into the first spaces 21A or the second space 21 B, respectively. The first space 21A is smaller than the second space 21B.

As shown in Figure 3, the connector made according to the present invention is arranged between two tubes that are connected in telescopic manner. In use, the connecting cylinder 1 is firstly and fixedly inserted into one end of a daughter rod 4B of the telescopic tube assembly 4 with its first end 11.

Then daughter rod 4B together with the connecting cylinder 1 (including the second end 12 of the cylinder 1) is moveably inserted into the mother tube 4A of the assembly 4. By this arrangement, the daughter rod 4B can be readily positioned with respect to the mother tube 4A by means of the connecting cylinder 1.

Referring to Figures 4 and 5, when the daughter rod 4B is pulled out from the mother tube 4A and a certain length of the assembly 4 has been established by the daughter rod 4B and mother rod 4A, the mother tube 4A can be rotated clockwise in a manner such that the locking flap 3 that is disposed at the joint between the first and second diameters 2A, 2B will be bent backward.

As a result, the locking flap 3 is moved to the first space 21A of the first diameter 2A and engaged tightly thereof, as shown in Figure 5. In this case, the thickness of the locking flap 3 plus the first diameter 2A is larger than the inner diameter of the mother tube 4A, the connecting cylinder 1 is fixedly anchored on the inner wall of the mother tube 4A. As a result, the relative position between the daughter rod 4B and the mother tube 4A is set.

S. When the relative position between the daughter rod 4B and the mother tube 4A is to change, the mother tube 4A can be rotated counterclockwise with respect to the daughter rod 4B in a manner such that the locking flap 3 is brought to the second diameter 2B in which the second space 21 B located. In this case, the thickness of the locking flap 3 plus the second diameter 2B is smaller than the inner diameter of the mother tube 4A, the daughter rod 4B is free to move along the inner wall of the mother tube 4A. As a result, the relative GWN:JL:#2806.SPE s April 1998 position between the daughter rod 4B and the mother tube 4A can be selected again. If the length established by the daughter rod 4B and the mother tube 4A is selected again, the mother tube 4A can be rotated again with respect to the daughter rod 4B to bring the locking flap 3 to the first space 21A and the relative position between the daughter rod 4B and the mother tube 4A can be set again.

From the above description, it can be readily appreciated that the relative position between the daughter rod 4B and the mother tube 4A can be readily selected and set by the provision of the connecting cylinder 1. Furthermore, the connecting cylinder 1 features a simplified configuration and can be integrally formed in a single manufacturing process. Not only will simplify the operation, but will also reduce the manufacturing cost considerably.

While particular embodiment of the present invention has been illustrated and described, it would be obvious to those skilled in the art that various other changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is therefore intended to cover in the appended claims all such changes and modifications that are within the scope of the present invention.

*o *o GWN:JL:#28056.SPE 8April1998

Claims (4)

1. A connector for telescopic tube assembly of the type that includes a mother tube and a daughter rod that is moveably disposed within said mother tube, said connector comprising a connecting cylinder that defines a first end and a second end, wherein said first end of said connecting cylinder can be fixedly attached to one end of said daughter rod and said second end of said connecting cylinder is moveably disposed within the inner space of said mother tube together with said daughter rod, said connecting cylinder further including a neck portion that is configured by a first and second diameters that in turn define a first space and second space there above, a locking flap that can match with said neck portion being pivotally disposed at the joint between said first and second diameters, wherein when said locking flap is brought into said first space above said first diameter, the relative position between said daughter rod and said mother tube can be readily fixed, and wherein when said locking flap is brought into said second space above said second diameter, said daughter rod is free to move with respect to said mother tube.

2. A connector as recited in claim 1, wherein said first diameter is larger than said second diameter.

3. A connector as recited in claim 1, wherein said first space is smaller. than said second space.

4. A connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein said connector is integrally formed. A connector for a telescopic tube assembly substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 2 to 6 DATED: 8 April, 1998 CATER SMITH BEADLE Patent Attorneys for the Applicant: C. LIN GWN:JL:#28056.SPE 8 April 1998