US20100052482A1

US20100052482A1 - Case with a structure for receiving a bolt

Info

Publication number: US20100052482A1
Application number: US12/381,739
Authority: US
Inventors: Yung-Han Kuo
Original assignee: Acbel Polytech Inc
Current assignee: Acbel Polytech Inc
Priority date: 2008-08-29
Filing date: 2009-03-16
Publication date: 2010-03-04
Also published as: CN201286202Y; TWM357164U

Abstract

A case has a base and a bolt assembly. The base has a distal sidewall with a mounting hole and a proximal sidewall with a large hole and a small hole. The small hole communicates with the large hole. The bolt assembly has a bolt. The bolt has a proximal end, a distal end and a stopping flange. The proximal end protrudes into the large hole via the mounting hole and is engaged with the small hole. The distal end protrudes into the mounting hole and has a knob abutting an outer surface of the distal sidewall. The stopping flange is annular and protrudes around the bolt. The knob and the stopping flange allow the bolt to connect securely with the base. The case can be assembled and disassembled quickly and easily without using any tool, which saves time and lowers cost.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a case, and more particularly to a case with a structure allowing a bolt to be engaged with or be detached from the case easily.
2. Description of the Related Art
With reference to FIG. 5, a conventional case has a base (40) and a bolt assembly (50).
The base (40) has two sides, a proximal sidewall (41) and a distal sidewall (42). The sidewalls (41, 42) are formed perpendicularly on the sides and are formed in parallel with each other. The proximal sidewall (41) has a circular hole (43) define through the proximal sidewall (41). The distal sidewall (42) has an outer surface, an inner surface and a mounting hole (44). The inner surface faces the proximal sidewall (41). The mounting hole (44) is defined through the distal sidewall (42) and corresponds to the circular hole (43).
The bolt assembly (50) has a bolt (51) and a C-clip (52). The bolt (51) has a proximal end (53) and a distal end (54) respectively corresponding to the proximal sidewall (41) and the distal sidewall (42). The proximal end (53) protrudes into and is engaged with the circular hole (43) via the mounting hole (44) and has a thread (55). The distal end protrudes into and is engaged with the mounting hole (44) and has a knob and an annular groove (511). The knob abuts the outer surface of the distal sidewall (42) to prevent the bolt (51) from moving forward. The annular groove (511) is formed in the distal end near the inner surface of the distal sidewall (42). The C-clip (52) is engaged with the annular groove (51 1) after the knob abuts outer surface of the distal sidewall (42) to prevent the bolt (51) from inadvertently moving out of the proximal and distal sidewalls (41, 42). Therefore, the knob of the bolt (40) and the C-clip (52) allow the bolt (51) to be engaged with the base (40) firmly.
With further reference to FIG. 6, the conventional case is usually provided in a power supply (60), which connects with a load (70, may be a system). Because the proximal end (53) protrudes out of the proximal sidewall (41) and has an outer thread (55), the proximal sidewall (41) is allowed to protrude into and be screwed into a threaded hole (71) of the load (70).
However, both installing the C-clip (52) on the bolt (51) and detaching the C-clip (52) from the bolt (51) need a tool, which makes an assembling procedure or disassembling procedure complicated with an increased cost.
To overcome the shortcomings, the present invention provides a case with structure for receiving bolt to mitigate or obviate the aforementioned.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a case with a structure allowing a bolt to be engaged with or be detached from the case easily.
To achieve the objective, the case in accordance with the present invention has a base and a bolt assembly. The base has a proximal sidewall and a distal sidewall. The proximal sidewall has a locking hole including a large hole and a small hole. The small hole is defined through the proximal sidewall and communicates with the large hole. The distal sidewall has a mounting hole. The bolt assembly has a bolt. The bolt has a proximal end, a distal end and a stopping flange. The proximal end protrudes into the locking hole via the mounting hole and is engaged with the small hole. The distal end protrudes into the mounting hole and has a knob abutting an outer surface of the distal sidewall. The stopping flange is annular and protrudes around the bolt. The knob and the stopping flange allow the bolt to connect securely with the base. The case of the present invention can be assembled and disassembled quickly and easily without using any tool, which saves time and lowers cost.
Other objectives, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a base of a case in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an end view of the base of the case in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the base of the case in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a side view in partial section of a case in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a base of a conventional case in accordance with the prior art; and

FIG. 6 is a side view in partial section of the conventional case in FIG. 5 connecting with a load.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

With reference to FIG. 1, a case in accordance with the present invention is used in a power supply and has a base (10), a bolt assembly (20) and a cover (30).
With further reference to FIG. 2, the base (10) has two sides, a proximal sidewall (11) and a distal sidewall (12). The proximal and distal sidewalls (11, 12) are formed perpendicularly respectively on the sides and are formed in parallel with each other. The proximal sidewall (11) has an inner surface, an outer surface and a locking hole. The locking hole has a large hole (13) and a small hole (14). The large hole (13) is defined through the proximal sidewall (11). The small hole (14) is defined through the proximal sidewall (11), communicates with the large hole (13) and may be formed above, below or beside the large hole (13). Preferably, the small hole (14) is formed below the large hole (13). The distal sidewall (12) has an outer surface, an inner surface and a mounting hole (15). The inner surface of the distal sidewall (12) faces the inner surface of the proximal sidewall (11). The mounting hole (15) is defined through the distal sidewall (12) and is coaxial to the small hole (14).
With further reference to FIG. 3, the bolt assembly (20) has a bolt (21).
The bolt (21) has a proximal end (22), a distal end (23), a stopping flange (25) and a limiting flange (26). The proximal and distal ends (22, 23) respectively correspond to the proximal sidewall (11) and the distal sidewall (12). The proximal end (22) protrudes into the locking hole via the mounting hole (15), is engaged with the small hole (14) and has a thread (24). The distal end (23) protrudes into the mounting hole (15) and has a knob (23′). The knob (23′) abuts the outer surface of the distal sidewall (12). The stopping flange (25) is annular, protrudes around the bolt (21) near the thread (24) and has an outer diameter. The outer diameter of the stopping flange (25) is smaller than a diameter of the large hole (13) and is larger than a diameter of the small hole (14), so the stopping flange (25) can only pass through the large hole (13) to allow proximal end (22) the bolt (21) to enter the small hole (14) from the large hole (13). The stopping flange (25) abuts the outer surface of the proximal sidewall (11) when the proximal end (22) of the bolt (21) enters the small hole (14) from the large hole (13). The limiting flange (26) is annular and protrudes around the bolt (21) between the stopping flange (25) and the distal sidewall (12).
Therefore, the knob (23′) prevents the bolt (20) from moving forward the proximal sidewall (11) while the stopping flange (25) prevents the bolt (20) from moving backward the distal sidewall (12). Accordingly, the knob (23′) and the stopping flange (25) allow the bolt (20) to connect securely with the base (10).
The bolt assembly (20) may further have a resilient element (27) and a limiting element (28).
The resilient element (27) may be a compression spring and is mounted around the bolt (21) between the stopping flange (25) and the limiting flange (26).
The limiting element (28) may be a ring, is mounted around the bolt (21) between the resilient element (27) and the stopping flange (25) and has an outer diameter. The outer diameter of the limiting element (28) is larger than the diameter of the large hole (13). The limiting element (28) is pushed by the resilient element (27) to abut the inner surface of the proximal sidewall (11) and to increase friction between the limiting element (28) and the proximal sidewall (11) and friction between the stopping flange (25) and the proximal sidewall (11). Therefore, the stopping flange (25) and the limiting element (28) sandwich the proximal sidewall (11), so the bolt (21) is engaged with the base (10) firmly rather than moves easily from the small hole (14) to the large hole (13).
With reference to FIG. 4, the cover (30) is L-shaped, covers the base (10) and has a flat and a sidewall (31). The sidewall (31) is formed perpendicularly on a side of the flat, corresponds to the proximal sidewall (11), shields the large hole (13) and has a through hole (32). The through hole (32) is defined through the sidewall (31), is coaxial to the small hole (14), receives the proximal end (22) of the bolt (21) and has a dimension. The dimension of the through hole (32) is similar or the same with a dimension of the small hole (14), which allows the proximal end (22) of the bolt (21) to pass through the through hole (32) and prevents the proximal end (22) of the bolt (21) from moving back to the large hole (13). Therefore, the bolt (21) cannot move back to the large hole (13) and cannot be detached from the case after the cover (30) covers the base (10).
The case with the bolt (21) of the present invention is assembled by following actions:
(a) The proximal end (22) of the bolt (21) passes through into the mounting hole (15) in the distal sidewall (12) of the base (10);
(b) The resilient element (27) is mounted around the bolt (21) to abut the limiting flange (26) and then limiting element (28) is mounted around the bolt (21) to abut the resilient element (27);
(c) The proximal end (22) of the bolt (21) and the stopping flange (25) pass through the large hole (13) and move downward to allow the bolt (21) to be mounted in the small hole (14), so the stopping flange (25) and the limiting element (28) sandwich the proximal sidewall (11);
(d) The cover (30) covers the base (10) and the proximal end (22) of the bolt (21) passes through the through hole (32) in the sidewall (31) of the cover (30), which allow the bolt (21) to be engaged securely with the case.
The case is dissembled by detaching the base (10) and the cover (30), moving the proximal end (22) of the bolt (21) from the small hole (14) to the large hole (13), moving the bolt (21) toward the distal sidewall (23), and taking the bolt (21) out of the case from the mounting hole (15).
Therefore, the case of the present invention can be assembled and disassembled quickly and easily without using any tool, which saves time and lowers cost.
Even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the invention, the disclosure is illustrative only. Changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.

Claims

1. A case adapted for being used in a power supply comprising:

a base having

a proximal sidewall having a locking hole including a large hole being defined through the proximal sidewall and a small hole being defined through the proximal sidewall and communicating with the large hole; and

a distal sidewall having a mounting hole being defined through the distal sidewall; and

a bolt assembly having a bolt with a proximal end, a distal end and a stopping flange, wherein the proximal end protrudes into the locking hole via the mounting hole and is engaged with the small hole; the distal end protrudes into the mounting hole and has a knob abutting an outer surface of the distal sidewall; the stopping flange is annular, protrudes around the bolt and has an outer diameter that is smaller than a diameter of the large hole and is larger than a diameter of the small hole.

2. The case as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a cover covering the base and having a flat and a sidewall that is formed perpendicularly on a side of the flat, corresponds to the proximal sidewall, shielding the large hole and has a through hole being defined through the sidewall, being coaxial to the small hole and receiving the proximal end of the bolt.

3. The case as claimed in claim 2, wherein

the bolt further has a limiting flange being annular and protruding around the bolt between the stopping flange and the distal sidewall;

the bolt assembly further has

a resilient element being mounted around the bolt between the stopping flange and the limiting flange; and

a limiting element being mounted around the bolt between the resilient element and the stopping flange and having an outer diameter that is larger than the diameter of the large hole.

4. The case as claimed in claim 3, wherein the limiting element is a ring.

5. The case as claimed in claim 1, wherein the small hole is formed below the large hole and the mounting hole is coaxial to the small hole.

6. The case as claimed in claim 2, wherein the small hole is formed below the large hole and the mounting hole is coaxial to the small hole.

7. The case as claimed in claim 3, wherein the small hole is formed below the large hole and the mounting hole is coaxial to the small hole.

8. The case as claimed in claim 4, wherein the small hole is formed below the large hole and the mounting hole is coaxial to the small hole.

9. The case as claimed in claim 1, wherein the proximal end of the bolt has a thread.

10. The case as claimed in claim 2, wherein the proximal end of the bolt has a thread.

11. The case as claimed in claim 3, wherein the proximal end of the bolt has a thread.

12. The case as claimed in claim 4, wherein the proximal end of the bolt has a thread.

13. The case as claimed in claim 5, wherein the proximal end of the bolt has a thread.

14. The case as claimed in claim 6, wherein the proximal end of the bolt has a thread.

15. The case as claimed in claim 7, wherein the proximal end of the bolt has a thread.

16. The case as claimed in claim 8, wherein the proximal end of the bolt has a thread.