GB2282182A

GB2282182A - "Rod coupling joint"

Info

Publication number: GB2282182A
Application number: GB9319574A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Tyng-Cherng Shieh
Original assignee: SHIEH TYNG CHERNG
Current assignee: SHIEH TYNG CHERNG
Priority date: 1993-09-22
Filing date: 1993-09-22
Publication date: 1995-03-29
Also published as: GB9319574D0

Abstract

A rod coupling joint comprises a fixing member 12 and two movable members 14. The fixing member 12 has a body portion 16 provided with at least two first support arms 20. The two movable members 14 are each provided with a fitting portion 44 and at least one second support arm 46 joined to the first support arms 20 such that the second support arms 46 can be moved and rotated relative to the first support arms 20. In a first position the movable members 14 each abut on end face of the body portion 16. In a second position the second support arms 46 are moved outwardly along the first support arms 20 enabling the moveable members 14 to be rotated relative to the body portion 16. The coupling joint may be used to connect two rod-like members (2, 4 fig. 7) and a spring 50 may be used to retain the coupling in the first position. <IMAGE>

Description

ROD COUPLING JOINT FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates generally to a rod coupling device, and more particularly to a coupling joint for use in fastening linearly and foldably two rod-shaped articles.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION According to the prior art method, two rod-shaped articles are coupled end to end such that the male threads disposed respectively on one end of the two rod-shaped articles engage with the female threads of a sleeve. Such prior art method is inconvenient and unreliable in that the rod-shaped articles and the sleeves are kept separately and can be easily misplaced or lost, and that the fastened articles can be often caused to become loosened.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore the primary objective of the present invention to provide a rod coupling joint with means capable of fastening linerarly and foldably two rod-shaped articles.

It is another objective of the present invention to provide a rod coupling joint, which can be used easily to fasten two rod-shaped articles end to end.

It is still another objective of the present invention to provide a rod coupling joint with means capable of fastening securely and reliably two rod-shaped articles in an end-to-end manner.

The foregoing objectives of the present invention are attained by a rod coupling joint, which comprises a fixing member and two movable members. The fixing member has a body portion provided with at least two first support arms extending outwards respectively in the direction of the axis of the body. The two movable members are provided respectively with a fitting portion and at least a second support arm extending outwards in the direction of the axis of the fitting portion. The second support arm is joined with the first support arm such that the second support arm can be caused to move and rotate along the first support arm. In addition, the first and the second support arms are received respectively in the body portion and the fitting portion at the time when each of the two movable members moves by means of the second support arm and along the first support arm to a first position. The fitting portion is caused to rest on the surface of one side of the body portion. As each of the two movable members moves along the first support arm to a second position by means of the second support arm, the fist and the second support arms are removed respectively from the body portion and the fitting portion. As a result, the fitting portion can be caused to rotate in relation to the body portion.

Two rod-shaped articles can be coupled linearly by the fitting portions of the two movable members situated respectively at the first position. As two movable members are caused to situate respectively at the second position, the two rod-shaped articles can be folded.

The rod coupling joint of the present invention is further provided with an elastic member connecting the movable members with the fixing member. As a result, the movable members can be joined securely with the fixing member in a linear manner.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1, shows a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows an exploded view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 shows a sectional view of a portion taken along the line 3-3 as shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 shows a sectional view of a portion taken along the line 4-4 as shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing that one movable member of the preferred embodiment of the present invention is caused to turn an angle of 90 degrees in relation to the fixing member.

FIG. 6 is a perspective schematic view showing that two rod-shaped articles are fastened linearly by means of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a perspective schematic view showing that two rod-shaped articles are fastened and folded by means of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring to FIGS. 1-5, a rod coupling joint 10 embodied in the present invention is shown to comprise a fixing member 12 and two movable members 14 fastened respectively to both ends of the axis of the fixing member 12.

The fixing member 12 has a body portion 16, a partition 18 and two pairs of first support arms 20. The body portion 16 is made up of two semicircular cylindrical members 22, each of which is provided respectively in the upper and lower ends thereof with a recessed stepped surface 24 provided integrally with a tenon 25 and a mortise 26. The partition 18 is made up of two rectangular plates 28. The two first support arms 20 are disposed in such a manner that they extend outwards from the centers of the both sides of the rectangular plate 18 in the direction of the axis of the rectangular plate 18. Each of the two rectangular plates 18 has a through hole 30 corresponding in location to the tenon 24. In combination, the two rectangular plates 28 are disposed respectively in the center of the semicircular cylindrical member 22 such that the rectangular plate 28 is attached to the recessed stepped portion 24, and that the tenon 25 is put through the through hole 30 to be inserted into the corresponding mortise 26. It must be noted here that it is just a matter of manufacturing choice that the two semicircular cylindrical members 22 are joined together by means of mortises and tenons, which may be replaced by other fastening means. The two semicircular cylindrical members 22 are provided respectively on the front and the rear ends thereof with a semi-annular flange 32. Each of the first support arms 20 is provided in the inner side thereof with an open end 34 having a semicircular portion 36 located at the outer end thereof. The open end 34 has a raised edge 38, which is used as a sliding rail 40. The partition 18 is joined with the body portion 16 such that two receiving spaces 42 are formed independently on both sides of the partition 18.

Each of the two movable members 14 has a fitting portion 44 of cylindrical construction, and two second support arms 46 extending outwards from the two opposite side walls in the fitting portion 44 in the direction of the axis of the fitting portion 44. Each of the two second support arms 46 is provided at the front end thereof with a guide portion (a pulley 47). In combination, the pulley 47 is inserted into the open end 34 so as to be placed on the sliding rail 40. As a result, each of the second support arms 46 is capable of moving and turning by means of the pulley 47 along the sliding rail 40 of the first support arm 20. The fitting portion 44 is provided axially in one side thereof with an annular slot 48. When each of the two second support arms 20 is caused to move toward the inner side of the body portion 16 to be situated at a first position, each of the two support arms 20 is received in the fitting portion 44 while the semi-annular flange 32 of the semicircular cylindrical member 22 is received in the annular slot 48 of the fitting portion 44. As a result, each of the two movable members 14 is fastened securely and linearly with the fixing member 12, as shown in FIG. 3. When each of the two second support arms 20 is caused to move toward the outer side of the body portion 16 to be situated at the second position, the pulley 47 is located on a position of the sliding rail 40, which is opposite to the semicircular portion 36, thereby enabling each of the movable members 14 to turn a predetermined angle in relation to the fixing member 12, as shown in FIG. 5.

With a view to enabling each of the two movable members 14 to be fastened securely and linearly with the fixing member 12, the rod coupling joint 10 of the present invention is provided with two coil springs 50, each of which has two ends 52 and 54 that are fastened respectively with a projection 55 located on the outer surface of the fitting portion 44. The spring body 56 of each of the two coil springs 50 is disposed in the fitting portion 44 and and the body portion 16 of the fixing member 12. As a result, when each of the two movable members 14 is situated at the first position, the movable member 14 is joined intimately with the fixing member 12, thanks to the tension of the coil spring 50 exerting on the movable member 14.

As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, two hollow rod-shaped articles 2 and 4 are coupled linearly by means of the rod coupling joint 10 of the present invention such that the two articles 2 and 4 are fastened respectively at one end thereof with the fitting portion 44 of the movable member 14. The fitting portion 44 is provided with two grooves 58 and 60, as shown in FIG. 5. The articles 2 and 4 are fitted respectively at one end thereof over the fitting portion 44 such that the walls of the articles 2 and 4 are mechanically caused to embed in the grooves 58 and 60 of the fitting portion 44 so as to enhance respectively the fastening of the articles 2 and 4 with the movable members 14. As shown in FIG. 6, the articles 2 and 4 are coupled linearly by causing each of the two movable members 14 to move toward the fixing member 12 so as to be s-ituated at the first position. The two articles 2 and 4 can be turned respectively for an angle of 90 degrees in relation to the fixing member 12 by causing both movable members 14 to move away from the fixing member 12 so as to be situated at the second position, as shown in FIG. 7.

The embodiment of the present invention described above is to be regarded in all respects as merely illustrative and not restrictive. Accordingly, the present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without deviating from the spirit thereof. The present invention is therefore to be limited only by the scope of the following appended claims.

Claims

1. A rod coupling joint comprising: a fixing member having a body portion provided with at least two first support arms extending in the direction of an axis of said body portion; and two movable members each of which has a fitting portion provided with at least one second support arm extending in the direction of an axis of said fitting portion, said second support arms being coupled to said first support arms such that said second support arms can be moved along said first support arms and rotated in relation to said first support arms, said first support arms and said second support arms being received respectively in said body portion and said fitting portion when each of said movable members is moved so that said second support arms thereof are moved along said first support arms to a first position, with said fitting portion pressing against an end surface of said body portion, and said first support arms and said second support arms being capable of being moved respectively away from said body portion and said fitting portion when each of said movable members is moved so that said second support arms thereof are moved along said first support arms to a second position, said fitting portion of each of said movable members being capable of being rotated in relation to said body portion when said second support arms are in said second position.

2. The rod coupling joint of claim 1, further comprising at least one elastic member coupling said movable members to said fixing member.

3. The rod coupling joint of claim 1 or 2, wherein said body portion is cylindrical and is provided therein with two receiving spaces formed by a partition and with two pairs of said first support arms, with each of said two pairs of first support arms extending outwardly in a parallel manner from a respective side of said partition in the direction of said axis of said body portion; wherein each of said movable members has a cylindrical fitting portion and a pair of said second support arms extending outwardly respectively from two opposite inner walls of said fitting portion, with said pair of second support arms of each movable member being movably and rotatably coupled to a respective one of said two pairs of first support arms; and wherein each of said two pairs of first support arms can be caused to move along said pair of second support arms into said fitting portion when each of said movable members is in said first position, with said pair of second support arms extending respectively into said receiving spaces of said body portion.

4. The rod coupling joint of claim 1, 2 or 3, further comprising a coil spring having one end connected to said fitting portion of one of said movable members, a body portion extending through said body portion of said fixing member, and another end connected to said fitting portion of another of said movable members.

5. The rod coupling joint of any preceding claim, wherein each of said first support arms is provided thereon with a sliding rail extending in the direction of an axis of said first support arm; and wherein each of said second support arms is provided in an outer side thereof with a guide portion movably fitted on said sliding rail.

6. The rod coupling joint of claim 5, wherein each of said first support arms is provided with an outer end of semicircular construction, and with said sliding rail extending along an edge of another arm surface thereof; and wherein said guide portion of said each of said second support arms is of circular form and fitted movably on said sliding rail.

7. The rod coupling joint of claim 3, wherein said cylindrical body portion of said fixing member is made up of two symmetrically semicircular members of cylindrical form.

8. The rod coupling joint of claim 7, wherein said partition is made up of two symmetrically rectangular members, each of which has two lateral sides from which each pair of said first support arms extends outwardly in a parallel manner.

9. A rod coupling joint substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.