GB2125095A

GB2125095A - Joining a rotary part to a fixed part

Info

Publication number: GB2125095A
Application number: GB08303344A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Philippe Willems
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1982-06-15
Filing date: 1983-02-07
Publication date: 1984-02-29
Also published as: GB8303344D0

Abstract

The rotary member 3 has a number of resilient lugs 11 which snap into an aperture in a fixed member 2, the lugs 11 and flange 12 gripping the top 8 of member 2 to provide frictional resistance to rotation. A locking pin 13 prevents disengagement of the lugs 11. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Joining a swinging part to a fixed part This invention pertains to the joining of a swinging part to a fixed part, in which the swinging part is so secured to the fixed part as to be swingable relative thereto but under the action of a predetermined driving force. The invention relates more particularly to a device for light signalling comprising a housing enclosing an electric current source, a cylinder-shaped signalling head closed at both ends thereof by transparent or translucent panels, coloured or not, and enclosing a light source electrically connected to said electric current source, said signalling head being so secured to the housing as to be swingable relative thereto but under the action of a predetermined driving force.

Work lights of the above-defined type are known where the signalling head is secured to the housing of the signalling device by screw-thread means. Such a threaded swinging assembly consequently requires a number of small insert parts the mounting of which requires some time, which thus increases the manufacturing cost and makes storage more difficult.

This invention has for object to obviate such drawbacks by designing an assembly as defined in the preamble, such an assembly being characterized in that a first part is provided with a first ratchet means, the second part is provided with a second ratchet means which can engage said first ratchet means, said ratchet means preventing in ratchet position, any relative movement of said parts towards one another or away from one another, while allowing a relative swinging movement between both said parts, and in that the assembly further comprises a means for locking said ratchet means in ratchet position, said locking means being so arranged as to prevent in locking position, an unintentional release of the ratchet means relative to one another.

In an embodiment of the invention, the first part comprises a circle-shaped opening provided with first ratchet means, the second part has a hollow element projecting outwards, which bears said second ratchet means, said hollow element and second ratchet means being so arranged as to form together a continuous passageway, and the locking means is comprised of an element which can be fitted into said passageway and the outer diameter of which is larger at least in some locations, than the passageway width, said locking means having anchoring means which enable securing the locking means on the one said parts when the locking means is inserted into said second ratchet means and hollow element, and when the ratchet means engage one another.

According to the invention, there is also provided a light-signalling device as defined above, in which the housing has a circle-shaped opening, the signalling head is provided with a hollow element projecting from the cylindershaped casing thereof, the hollow element free end being provided with lugs from flexible material which project axially and are so arranged as to lie at the bottom thereof within an imaginary circle with a diameter smaller than the circleshaped opening diameter, said lugs each having at the free end thereof an outwardly-directed radial projection, the tips from said radial projections being inscribed in an imaginary circle with a diameter slightly larger than said circleshaped opening diameter and being so chamfered as to make engaging thereof into the circleshaped opening easier, the hollow element also having a flange arranged on the outer surface thereof at a distance from said lug radial projections which corresponds to the thickness of the circle-shaped opening edge, said flange having a width which is larger than said opening diameter, and the device further comprises a locking or wedging means which is so arranged within the hollow element that a disengagement of the lugs thereof from the circle-shaped opening is prevented.Said locking means can be hollow and have a cone or truncated cone shape, the outer diameter of which at the one end thereof is smaller than the width of the passage left free between the lugs and the hollow element recess, and the outer diameter of which at the other end thereof is larger than said passageway, said locking means having at the wider end thereof a base which can be secured with any suitable means inside the housing when the locking means has been driven into said hollow element.

Other details and features of the invention will stand out from the following description, given by way of non limitative example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is an exploded front view of a lightsignalling device according to the invention.

Figure 2 is a section view on a larger scale, along line 1I--II in Figure 1, of the assembly according to the invention of the light head and the device housing.

In the various figures, the same reference numerals pertain to similar components.

The work light shown in the figures comprises a housing with a bottom part 1 which bears an electric primary cell now shown, and a cover 2 which can be fitted over the bottom 1 and secured thereto with any suitable means, for instance by means of a through screw-bolt and a nut.

The light shown further comprises a cylindershaped signalling head 3 comprised of a cylindershaped casing 4 closed at both ends thereof with transparent or translucent panels, coloured or not, not shown, said panels may be secured with any suitable means to said casing which in the embodiment as shown, bears on the inner circumference thereof, means 5 for clamping projections provided on the transparent panels. A handle 6 may be provided at the top of said head 3 to grasp the device as well as to exert a rotating force enabling to swing the head relative to said housing 1, 2.

Said light head 3 is also provided on the outer cylinder-shaped casing 4 thereof, with a hollow tube 7 the axis of which in the embodiment shown in the figures, lies at right angle to the axis of the cylinder-shaped casing 4.

The upper surface 8 of the housing cover 2 is provided with a circle-shaped opening the edge 9 of which has a slight overthickness to reinforce same.

In the embodiment shown in the figures, said hollow tube 7 bears at the free end thereof, lugs 10 from flexible material which project axially. At the bottom thereof, said lugs 10 are so arranged as to be inscribed in an imaginary circle with a diameter which is smaller than the diameter of the circle-shaped opening in the cover. At the free end of each said lugs 10 is provided a radial projection 11 facing outwards. Said radial projections are so arranged as to have the free tips thereof inscribed in a circle with a diameter which is slightly larger than the diameter of the circle-shaped opening in the housing cover. Said projections 11 are moreover chamfered to make it easier to drive said projections into said opening.

In the embodiment as shown in the figures, four lugs 10 have been provided equally spaced. The hollow tube 7 also bears on the outer surface thereof, a flange 12 which is arranged at a distance from the radial projections 11 of the lugs 10, which is substantially equal to the overthickness of the edge 9 from the circleshaped opening.

Due to this arrangement, the signalling head 3 can be secured on the cover 2 from the device housing by driving said lugs 10 into the circleshaped opening in cover surface 8. Such driving is made possible by the driving force which is being exerted on the signalling head 3, by the chamfered shape of the radial projections 11 and due to the lugs 10 being flexible. Said lugs due to the flexibility thereof, return to the original position thereof as shown in the figures, as soon as the radial projections 11 have moved beyond the thickness of edge 9, and said edge 9 is then captured between said radial projections 11, lugs 10 and flange 12, in such a way that any movement for bringing said signalling head 3 and housing 1, 2 nearer or further away becomes impossible.

Such an assembly as defined above, does however allow relatively free swinging of said signalling head 3 relative to the housing, which is undesirable.

The light as shown further comprises a hollow locking or wedging element 13 of generally truncated-cone shape, the outer diameter of which at the top end thereof is smalller than the passage left free between the lugs and the diameter of the bore 14 of tube 7, and the outer diameter of which at the bottom end is larger than said passageway. The bore 14 of tube 7 has between both ends thereof, a narrowing in the diameter thereof which forms a shoulder 1 5. In a corresponding way, the locking element 1 3 has between both ends thereof, an abrupt increase in the diameter thereof which forms a shoulder 1 6 which can cooperate with said shoulder 1 5 and bear thereon when the locking element 1 3 is driven into bore 14 of tube 7.Said shoulders 1 5 and 1 6 thus serve as stops which prevent too strong a wedging of said element 1 3 inside bore 14, which would prevent any swinging of the signalling head 3 in said housing 1, 2. Indeed due to the above-described shape, the outer surface of locking element 13 exerts after some driving of the element between lugs 10 from hollow tube 7 and inside the bore 14, an outwardly-directed pressure on the flexible lugs 10, which results in clamping more and more strongly the edge 8 between the radial projections 11, lugs 10 and flange 12, and thus reducing more and more the swinging freedom of the signalling head 3 relative to said housing 1, 2.Therefor said shoulders 1 5 and 1 6 are respectively so arranged as to have a swinging of signalling head 3 require some predetermined force to overcome the resulting wedging action and said predetermined force always be large enough.

This problem may also be solved in combination with the above or discretely, by providing on the outer surface of the locking element bottom, axial ribs 1 7 which are spaced by a distance which corresponds substantially to the lug width. In such a case, the overall diameter of the locking element is so designed as to be slightly larger than the spacing between two opposite lugs 10. The driving of the locking element 13 is made possible by the sliding of said lugs 10 between the ribs 1 7. On the other hand, the height of said ribs 17 is so measured as to require exerting said predetermined force to obtain a rotating of the signalling head 3, by having the ribs come out of the recesses provided between said lugs 10 and said lugs slide along the ribs.

As already stated hereinabove, it is advantageous to provide a hollow locking element 1 3 to let a free passage between inside the housing and the bore in the signalling head 3.

That end of locking element 13 which is driven into the signalling head 3 may thus be used as support for an electric bulb 1 8 which is connected to said primary cell by wires passing through the bore 19 of said locking element 1 3.

On the other hand, the locking element is provided at that end thereof lying inside the housing 1, 2, with a base 20 with the shape of the cross-section of the housing and which thus prevents any swinging of locking element 1 3 relative to housing 1, 2 when said housing is of parallel piped shape, a shown in the figures. It is moreover possible to provide on the base edges, clamping projections 21 for capturing therebetween ribs 22 formed on the inner surface of the housing cover 2. The claming projections 21 and said ribs 22 may be so shaped as to retain said base 20 inside the top portion of cover 2 with a predetermined spacing to the surface 8 thereof.

On said base 20 may be arranged a switch 23 connected in an electric circuit connecting the primary cell not shown and the light bulb 18, and which is provided with a push-button 24. The base 20 hingedly bears moreover a tab 25 which is arranged between the push-button 24 and the side wall of cover 2 in which is provided a small access hole 26. By means of a narrow element such as a needle, the tab 25 may be pushed against the push-button 24 to thus switch-over the electric circuit.

The light according to the invention as shown in the figures, has relative to the present state of the art, the substantial advantage of a very easy and very fast assembly of a small number of parts.

According to tests, the assembly time for such a lamp corresponds to one tenth the time required to assemble a lamp with screw-thread fastening.

It must be understood that the invention is in no way limited to the above embodiment and that many changes may be brought thereto without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

It is notably possible to consider using such an assembly not only with a work light, but also for any arrangement requiring a limited swinging of one part relative to another one.

It would also be possible to provide as locking or wedging means, an element which does only prevent mutual releasing of the ratchet means, without contacting said ratchet means and thus without causing necessarily a friction on either one of the ratchet means which are swingable relative to one another.

It would also be possible that said cylindershaped signalling head and hollow element are divided in two half-shelves to be assembled, according to a plane which is perpendicular to the signalling head axis and wherein the hollow element axis lies.

Claims

1. Assembly comprised of a swinging part on a fixed part, the swinging part being so secured to the fixed part as to be swingable relative thereto but under the action of a predetermined driving force, in which a first part is provided with a first ratchet means, the second part is provided with a second ratchet means which can engage said first ratchet means, said ratchet means preventing in ratchet position, any relative movement of said part towards one another or away from one another, while allowing a relative swinging movement between both said parts,.and the assembly further comprises a means for locking said ratchet means in ratchet position, said locking means being so arranged as to prevent in locking position, an unintentional release of the ratchet means relative to one another.

2. Assembly as defined in claim 1, in which the first part comprises a circle-shaped opening provided with first ratchet means, the second part has a hollow element projecting outwards, which bears said second ratchet means, said hollow element and second ratchet means being so arranged as to form together a continuous passageway, and the locking means is comprised of an element which can be fitted into said passageway and the outer diameter of which is larger at least in some locations, than the passageway width, said locking means having anchoring means which enable securing the locking means on the one said parts when the locking means is inserted into said second ratchet means and hollow element, and when the ratchet means engage one another.

3. Assembly as defined in Claim 2, in which that passageway formed by said second ratchet means and the hollow element bore is of cylinder shape, and the locking element is of cone or truncated-cone shape with at the one end thereof, a diameter which is smaller than the width of said passageway, and at the other end thereof, a diameter which is larger than said width.

4. Assembly as defined in either one of Claims 2 and 3, in which said passageway formed by the hollow element bore and second ratchet means is provided on the inner surface thereof with uniformly-spaced recesses, and that portion of the locking element facing said recesses, when said element is driven into said bore, is provided on the outer surface thereof with ribs which are equally spaced along the circumference, and can enter said recesses, said ribs and recesses being so arranged as to be releasable from one another under the action of said predetermined force.

5. Assembly as defined in any one of claims 2 to 4, in which the hollow element bore is provided with a first shoulder formed by a narrowing in the inner diameter of said bore, the locking element is provided on the outer surface thereof with a second corresponding shoulder formed by an abrupt increase in the outer diameter thereof, and both said shoulders are so arranged as to bear against one another in that position where said locking element is driven in.

6. Assembly as defined in any one of Claims 2 to 5, in which said ratchet means is comprised of the edge of the circle-shaped opening and the second ratchet means comprises lugs from flexible material which project axially at the free end of the hollow element and are so arranged as to be inscribed at the bottom thereof in an imaginary circle with a diameter which is smaller than the circle-shaped opening diameter, said lugs each having at the free end thereof, a radial projection facing outwards, the tips from said radial projections being inscribed in an imaginary circle with a diameter which is slightly larger than the circle-shaped opening diameter, and being so chamfered as to make driving thereof in the circle-shaped opening easier, as well as a flange which is arranged on the outer surface of said hollow element at a distance from the lug radial projections which corresonds to the opening edge thickness, said flange having a width which is larger than the opening diameter.

7. Assembly as defined in any one of Claims 1 to 6, in which said first part is comprised of a housing, the second part is comprised of an enclosure closed relative to the outside and which is swingable relative to the housing under the action of said predetermined driving force, and said ratchet means and locking means are mutually so arranged as to let a passageway free between inside the housing and the enclosure recess.

8. Assembly as defined in Claim 7, in which said housing encloses an electric current source, the enclosure is a horizontal-axis cylinder closed at both ends thereof with transparent or translucent panels, coloured or not, between which is arranged an electric light source, and wires from an electric circuit connecting said electric current source to said electric light source, pass through said passageway.

9. Assembly as defined in Claim 8, in which said locking means is also used as support for the electric light source.

10. Light-signalling device, with a housing enclosing an electric current source, a cylindershaped signalling head closed at both ends thereof by transparent or translucent panels, coloured or not, and enclosing a light source electrically connected to said electric current source, said signalling head being so secured to the housing as to be swingable relative thereto but under the action of a predetermined driving force, in which the housing has a circle-shaped opening, the signalling head is provided with a hollow element projecting from the cylindershaped casing thereof, the hollow element free end being provided with lugs from flexible material which project axially and are so arranged as to lie at the bottom thereof within an imaginary circle with a diameter smaller than the circleshaped opening diameter, said lugs each having at the free end thereof an outwardly directed radial projection, the tips from said radial projections being inscribed in an imaginary circle with a diameter slightly larger than said circleshaped opening diameter and being so chamfered as to make engaging thereof into the circleshaped opening easier, the hollow element also having a flange arranged on the outer surface thereof at a distance from said lug radial projections which corresponds to the thickness of the circle-shaped opening edge, said flange having a width which is larger than said opening diameter, and the device further comprises a locking or wedging means which is so arranged within the hollow element that a disengagement of the lugs thereof from the circle-shaped opening is prevented.

11. Device as defined in Claim 10, in which the locking or wedging means is hollow and has a cone or truncated-cone shape, its outer diameter at the one end thereof being smaller than the width of the passage left free between the lugs and the hollow element recess, while the outer diameter of which at the other end thereof is larger than said passageway, said locking means having at the wider end thereof a base which can be secured with any suitable means inside the housing when the locking means has been driven into said hollow element.

12. Device as defined in claim 11, in which said locking element bears at the narrower end thereof an electric bulb connected to said electric current source by wires passing through the recess or bore of the locking element.

13. Device as defined in either one of Claims 11 and 12, in which the locking element base is substantially in the shape of the housing crosssection and it is provided with clamping means for corresonding ribs provided on the housing inner surface.

14. Device as defined in any one of Claims 10 to 13, in which said signalling head is provided with a handle.

1 5. Device as defined in any one of Claims 11 to 14, which further comrises an electric switch with push-button connected in the electric circuit connecting the electric current source to the electric light source, said switch being supported by the locking element base opposite a small hole provided in a housing wall, a tab hingedly supported on said base being arranged between the pusch-button end and that small hole through which a narrow element, such as a needle, can be passed to operate said switch by causing said tab to be tilted against the pushbutton.

16. Device as defined in any one of Claims 10 to 15, in which said cylinder-shaped signalling head and hollow element are divided in two halfshelves to be assembled, according to a plane which is perpendicular to the signalling head axis and wherein the hollow element axis lies.

1 7. A lighting device substantially as hereinbefore descibed and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

New claims or amendments to claims filed on 7th June 1 983.

Superseded claims 1-16.

New or amended claims:

1. Lighting device comprising a housing enclosing an electric current source and an enclosure swingable relative to the housing under the action of a predetermined driving force, said enclosure enclosing a light source electrically connected to said electric current source, wherein the housing is provided with a first ratchet means, the enclosure is provided with a second ratchet means which can engage said first ratchet means, said ratchet means preventing, in ratchet position, any relative movement of the housing and the enclosure towards one another or away from one another, while allowing a relative swinging movement between the housing and the enclosure, wherein the device comprises furthermore a safety locking means which is removably fastened on the housing or respectively the enclosure and which in locking position, prevents an unintentional release of the engaged ratchet means relative to one another, and wherein a passage for the electrical connections between the electric current source and the light source is defined by the engaged ratchet means and the safety locking means in locking position.

2. Lighting device as defined in claim 1, in which the housing comprises a circle-shaped opening provided with said first ratchet means, the enclosure is provided with a hollow element projecting outwards, which bears said second ratchet means, said hollow element and seocnd ratchet means being so arranged as to form together a continuous passageway, and the locking means is comprised of an element which can be fitted into said passageway and the outer diameter of which is larger, at least in some locations, than the passageway width, said locking means having anchoring means which enable securing the locking means on the housing or the enclosure when the locking means is inserted into said second ratchet means and hollow element, and when the ratchet means engage one another.

3. Lighting device as defined in Claim 2, in which said passageway formed by said second ratchet means and the hollow element bore is of cylinder shape, and the locking element is of cone or truncated-cone shape with, at the one end thereof, a diameter which is smaller than the width of said passageway and, at the other end thereof, a diameter which is larger than said width.

4. Lighting device as defined in either one of Claims 2 and 3, in which said passageway formed by the hollow element bore and second ratchet means is provided on the inner surface thereof with uniformly-spaced recesses, and that portion of the locking element facing said recesses, when said element is driven into said bore, is provided on the outer surface thereof with ribs which are equally spaced along the circumference, and can enter said recesses, said ribs and recesses being so arranged as to be releasable from one another under the action of said predetermined force.

5. Lighteing device as defined in any one of Claims 2 to 4, in which the hollow element bore is provided with a first shoulder formed by a narrowing in the inner diameter of said bore, the locking element is provided on the outer surface thereof with a second corresponding shoulder formed by an abrupt increase in the outer diameter thereof, and both said shoulders are so arranged as to bear against one another in that position where said locking element is driven in.

6. Lighting device as defined in any one of Claims 2 to 5, in which said ratchet means is comprised of the edge of the circle-shaped opening and the second ratchet means comprises lugs from flexible material which project axially at the free end of the hollow element and are so arranged as to be inscribed at the bottom thereof in an imaginary circle with a diameter which is smaller than the circle-shaped opening diameter, said lugs each having at the free end thereof, a radial projection facing outwards, the tips from said radial projections being inscribed in an imaginary circle with a diameter which is slightly larger than the circle-shaped opening diameter, and being so chamfered as to make driving thereof in the circle-shaped opening easier, as well as a flange which is arranged on the outer surface of said hollow element at a distance from the lug radial projections which corresponds to the opening edge thickness, said flange having a width which is larger than the opening diameter.

7. Lighting device as defined in any one of Claims 1 to 6, in which said locking means is hollow and carries at one of its ends the electric light source.

8. Lighting device as defined in Claim 7, in which the enclosure is a horizontal-axis cylinder closed at both ends thereof with transparent or translucent panels, coloured or not, between which is arranged an electric light source, and wires from an electric circuit, connecting said electric current source to said electric light source, pass through said passage located in the hollow locking means.

9. Lighting device as defined in anyone of Claims 1 to 8, in which the locking element base is substantially in the shape of the housing crosssection and it is provided with clamping means for corresponding ribs provided on the housing inner surface.

10. Lighting device as defined in any one of Claims 1 to 9, in which said enclosure is provided with a handle.

11. Lighting device as defined in any one of Claims 1 to 10, which further comprises an electric switch with push-button connected in the electric circuit connecting the electric current source to the electric light source, said switch being supported by the locking element base opposite a small hole provided in a housing wall, a tab hingedly supported on said base being arranged between the push-button end and that small hole through which a narrow element, such as a needle, can be passed to operate said switch by causing said tab to be tilted against the pushbutton.

1 2. Light-signalling device, with a housing enclosing an electric current source, a cylindershaped signalling head closed at both ends thereof by transparent or translucent panels, coloured or not, and enclosing a light source electrically connected to said electric current source, said signalling head being so secured to the housing as to be swingable relative thereto but under the action of a predetermined driving force, in which the housing has a circle-shaped opening, the signalling head is provided with a hollow element projecting from the cylindershaped casing thereof, the hollow element free end being provided with lugs from flexible material which project axially and are so arranged as to lie at the bottom thereof within an imaginary circle with a diameter umaller than the circleshaped opening diameter, said lugs each having at the free end thereof an outwardly directed radial projection, the tips from said radial projections being inscribed in an imaginary circle with a diameter slightly larger than said radial projections being inscribed in an imaginary circleshaped opening diameter and being so chamfered as to make engaging thereof into one circleshaped opening easier, the hollow element also having a flange arranged on the outer surface thereof at a distance from said lug radial projections which corresponds to the thickness of the circle-shaped opening edge, said flange having a width which is larger than said opening diameter, and the device further comprises a hollow means which is secured at one end in the housing and projects into the signalling head through the lugs of the hollow element and which carries a said electric light source at its opposite end located within the signalling head, the electrical connections between said light source and said current source passing through said hollow means.

13. Device as defined in either one of Claims 11 and 12, in which the locking element base is substantially in the shape of the housing crosssection and it is provided with clamping means for corresponding ribs provided on the housing inner surface.

1 5. Device as defined in any one of Claims 11 to 14, which further comprises an electric switch with push-button connected in the electric circuit connecting the electric current source to the electric light source, said switch being supported by the locking element base opposite a small hole provided in a housing wall, a tab hingedly supported on said base being arranged between the push-button end and that small hole through which a narrow element, such as a needle, can be passed to operate said switch by causing said tab to be tilted against the pushbutton.