US20150158068A1

US20150158068A1 - Car fender trim expander

Info

Publication number: US20150158068A1
Application number: US14/097,881
Authority: US
Inventors: Chia-Hao Huang
Original assignee: Poul Chang Metal Ind Co Ltd
Current assignee: Poul Chang Metal Ind Co Ltd
Priority date: 2013-12-05
Filing date: 2013-12-05
Publication date: 2015-06-11

Abstract

A car fender trim expander includes a fixing disk, a telescopic tube, a sliding member, a linkage assembly, a roller, and a position limiting device. Therein, the fixing disk is to be installed on a wheel axle and rotates together with the wheel axle. The telescopic tube has a first and a second end, while the first end is pivotally connected to the fixing disk. The sliding member is slidingly disposed on the periphery of the telescopic tube. The linkage assembly is disposed between the sliding member and the fixing disk. The roller is disposed on the second end of the telescopic tube for contacting the inner edge of the fender trim. The position limiting device is for adjusting the stretching and pivotal swinging of the telescopic tube. Thereby, the convenience and easiness for operation is achieved.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to expanders, and more particularly, to a car fender trim expander.
2. Description of the Related Art
U.S. Pat. No. 816,678 disclosed a lip-rolling and flanging tool for bending back or widening fender-wheelwell edges of motor vehicles, comprising an affixing flange for being fixed on the wheel axle after the wheel is removed. Said flange includes a telescoping rectangular tube arrangement, which comprises an external tube and an internal tube capable of sliding against each other, with a threaded spindle rotatably disposed between the external tube and the affixing flange. Through the rotation of the threaded spindle, an inclination angle of the external tube against the affixing flange is adjusted, thereby changing the angle of the external tube against the affixing flange. A handle is disposed between the external tube and the internal tube for controlling the stretching of the internal tube against the external tube. Further, a support bracket is disposed at the distal end of the internal tube for rotatably disposing a flanging roll. Therefore, the flanging roll appropriately contacts the fender (fender trim) of a vehicle, thereby pushing back and recovering the concave portions on the fender for accomplishing a fender recovering process.
Operating process of the tool aforementioned comprises following steps. First, fix the affixing flange on the wheel axle. Second, apply the handle to stretch the internal tube against the external tube for adjusting the longitudinal distance of the flanging roll against the inner edge of the fender, whereby the flanging roll moves toward the inner edge of the fender, and swing the telescoping rectangular tube arrangement against the affixing flange by use of the threaded spindle, thereby adjusting the transverse distance of the flanging roll against the inner edge of the fender, and causing the flanging roll to contact the inner edge of the fender. However, the handle is easily forced to rotate by external force and thus causes the internal tube to withdraw against the external tube. As a result, the sudden withdrawal of the tool during the operation can cause the operator to be frightened and wounded. Moreover, the swinging of the telescoping rectangular tube arrangement against the affixing flange can only be slowly adjusted by adjusting the screwing motion of the threaded spindle, wherein the time needed for adjusting is relatively long, and the structure of the tool is relatively complicated.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

For improving such difficulties, the present invention discloses a car fender trim expander with simple structure and convenience for operation, which can be easily adjusted for different types of cars.
To achieve the foregoing objectives, the present invention provides a car fender trim expander, comprising:
a fixing disk, installed on a wheel axle and rotates together with the wheel axle, wherein two pivot boards are provided on one side of the fixing disk;
a telescopic tube, with a first end and a second end, while the first end is pivotally connected to the two pivot boards;
a sliding member, slidingly disposed on the periphery of the telescopic tube;
a linkage assembly, disposed between the sliding member and the two pivot boards;
a roller, disposed on the second end of the telescopic tube for contacting the inner edge of the fender trim; and
a position limiting device, disposed between the telescopic tube and the sliding member, and capable of moving between a fixed position and an acting position, wherein stretching of the telescopic tube and movement of the sliding member are limited when the position limiting device is at the fixed position, and stretching of the telescopic tube and movement of the sliding member due to the pushing or pulling caused by an external force are allowed when the position limiting device is at the acting position, whereby the telescopic tube thus pivotally swings against the fixing disk, thus providing a simple structure with convenience and easiness for being adjusted and operated.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the car fender trim expander in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the car fender trim expander in accordance the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 3-3 in FIG. 1 in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a partial sectional view of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a schematic view illustrating the position limiting device at an acting position.

FIG. 6 is a schematic applied view illustrating an embodiment in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 7 is another schematic applied view illustrating the same embodiment in accordance with the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Other and further advantages and features of the present invention will be understood by reference to the description of the preferred embodiment in conjunction with the accompanying drawings where the components are illustrated based on a proportion for explanation but not subject to the actual component proportion.
Referring to FIG. 1 to FIG. 3, a car fender trim expander 1 of the present invention comprises following components.
A fixing disk 10 with plural through holes 11 thereon is fastened on a wheel axle 3 (as shown in FIG. 6 and FIG. 7) and is capable of rotating together with the wheel axle 3, wherein a pair of pivot boards 12 are provided on one side of the fixing disk 10.
A telescopic tube 20 includes an external tube 21 and an internal tube 22. Therein, one end of the external tube 21 is pivotally connected to the two pivot boards 12, while the other end of the external tube 21 is provided with a threaded section 211. The external tube 21 is additionally provided with a first chute 212. The internal tube 22, which is allowed to slidingly stretch and withdraw against the external tube 21, is provided with a second chute 221 on one end, while the second chute 221 can be inserted through and is provided with a plane 222 on the both sides of the internal tube 22, respectively. The other end of the internal tube 22 is provided with a fork part 223. Therein, the axial length of the first chute 212 is shorter than the axial length of the second chute 221.
A sliding member 30, which is present as a barrel shape, is mainly formed of a first casing 31 and a second casing 32, thereby being slidingly disposed on the periphery of the external tube 21 of the telescopic tube 20, wherein an inner edge formed of the first casing 31 and the second casing 32 is provided with a ring groove 33.
A linkage assembly 40 is disposed between the sliding member and the two pivot boards 12, comprising at least two linkages 41, wherein a connecting bar 42 is transversely disposed on a pivotal junction of the two linkages 41 and the two pivot boards 12, thereby limiting the pivotal swing angle of the telescopic tube 20.
A roller 50 is disposed on a carriage 51, which comprises a combining part 52 for being fixed to the fork part 223, wherein an adjusting member 53 is inserted through the fork part 223 and the combining part 52 for adjusting the pivotal swing angle of the carriage 51 against the fork part 223.
A position limiting device 60 is disposed between the telescopic tube 20 and the sliding member 30 and capable of moving between a fixed position and an acting position. The position limiting device 60 comprises a knob 61 and a screw member 62, wherein the knob 61 is inserted through the sliding member 30, the first chute 212, and the second chute 221, and further fastened with the screw member 62. Through the rotational adjustment of the knob 61, the stretching and withdrawing of the telescopic tube 20 and the moving of the sliding member 30 are limited when the position limiting device 60 is located at the fixed position, thereby maintaining the pivotal swing angle of the telescopic tube 20 against the fixing disk 10; on the other hand, the telescopic tube 20 is allowed to stretch or withdraw when the position limiting device is located at the acting position, whereby the internal tube 22 thus slidingly move against the external tube 21. It shall be noticed that the junction of where the linkage assembly 40 connects to the sliding member 30 is on an axis defined by the knob 61 through the sliding member 30.
A rotating member 70 is screwed on the threaded section 211 of the external tube 21, while one end of the rotating member 70 is provided with a flange 71, with a concave portion 72 disposed on one lateral side of the flange 71. The flange 71 couples with the ring groove 33 of the sliding member 30, while the concave portion 72 is contacted and coupled by one end of the inner edge of the sliding member 30, whereby the sliding member 30 mounts around one end of the rotating member 70, and is positioned between the external tube 21 and the rotating member 70. Thus, the rotating member 70 is capable of self-rotating against the sliding member 30. Additionally, a handle 73 is transversely disposed on the rotating member 70 for being held and operated.
Referring to FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, when the position limiting device 60 is at the fixed position, the knob 61 and the screw member 62 are in a locking status to clasp the sliding member 30 and prevent the sliding member 30 from moving, whereby keeping the telescopic tube 20 at a pivotal swinging position against the fixing disk 10; further, the knob 61 and the screw member 62 as well clasp the plane 222 of the internal tube 22, thereby limiting the sliding movement of the internal tube 22 against the external tube 21.
Referring to FIG. 5, when the position limiting device 60 is at the acting position, the knob 61 is in a slack status, whereby the internal tube 22 is not clasped and capable of sliding against the external tube 21 for adjusting the length of the telescopic tube 20 stretching; in addition, the rotating member 70 is also allowed to be driven to move on the threaded section 211, and thus drives the sliding member 30 to move along the axis defined by the external tube 21, whereby the external tube 21 pivotally swings against the fixing disk 10 for adjusting the angle included by the external tube 21 and the fixing disk 10.
Referring to the schematic applied view of the present invention shown in FIG. 5 to FIG. 7, during application, the wheel on the damaged corner of a car is first removed, and the fixing disk 10 is fastened on a wheel disk 2 thereof, whereby the fixing disk 10 is allowed to rotate together with the wheel axle 3. Then, by adjusting the position limiting device 60 and the adjusting member 53, the telescopic tube 20 stretches and the roller 50 is allowed to pivotally swing and able to reach the inner surface of the dented fender trim 4. Further, when the position limiting device 60 is at the acting position, the rotating member 70 can be driven and thus causes the sliding member 30 to move, thereby adjusting the pivotal swing angle of the telescopic tube 20 against the fixing disk 10, and enabling the roller 50 to appropriately contact the inner surface of the fender trim 4. To sum up, the car fender trim expander 1 of the present invention takes the wheel axle 3 as the center and thereby pivots, whereby the roller 50 pushes and recovers the dented parts of the fender trim 4.
Therefore, the car fender trim expander of the present invention can easily stretch of withdraw the telescopic tube by adjusting the position limiting device. When the position limiting device is at the acting position, the rotating member can be driven, and the sliding member can thus easily move along the axis of the external tube, thereby adjusting the pivotal swing angle of the external tube against the fixing disk. Therein, the position limiting device is positioned between the sliding member and the external tube, and is adjacent to the fixing disk, and thus prevented from being unwillingly adjusted due to external force or other working conditions. At the same time, the rotating member can be held by user's hand for rotating, which is advanced comparing with prior arts, while the distance of rotation is longer, whereby the pivoting angle of the telescopic tube is easily adjusted for user convenience. As a result, the present invention can be adjusted for utilization upon different types of cars.

Claims

1. A car fender trim expander, comprising:

a fixing disk, installed on a wheel axle and rotates together with the wheel axle, wherein a pair of pivot boards are provided on one side of the fixing disk;

a telescopic tube, with a first end and a second end, while the first end is pivotally connected to the two pivot boards;

a sliding member, slidingly disposed on a periphery of the telescopic tube;

a linkage assembly, disposed between the sliding member and the two pivot boards;

a roller, disposed on the second end of the telescopic tube for contacting an inner edge of a car fender trim; and

a position limiting device, disposed between the telescopic tube and the sliding member, and capable of moving between a fixed position and an acting position, wherein stretching of the telescopic tube and movement of the sliding member are limited when the position limiting device is at the fixed position, and stretching of the telescopic tube and movement of the sliding member due to the pushing or pulling caused by an external force are allowed when the position limiting device is at the acting position, whereby the telescopic tube thus pivotally swings against the fixing disk.

2. The expander of claim 1, wherein the telescopic tube comprises an external tube and an internal tube, with one end of the external tube pivotally connected to the two pivot boards, while the sliding member is disposed on a periphery of the external tube, and the roller is disposed on one end of the internal tube.

3. The expander of claim 2, further comprising a rotating member rotatably disposed on the external tube, wherein the rotating member drives the sliding member to move along an axis defined by the external tube when the position limiting device is at the acting position, whereby the external tube pivotally swings against the fixing disk.

4. The expander of claim 3, wherein a handle is transversely disposed on the rotating member.

5. The expander of claim 3, wherein a threaded section is provided on the external tube for the rotating member to screw on, while the sliding member is disposed between the external tube and the rotating member, whereby the rotating member is capable of self-rotating against the sliding member.

6. The expander of claim 5, wherein one end of the rotating member is provided with a flange, while the sliding member is present as a barrel shape with a ring groove to be coupled with the flange.

7. The expander of claim 1 or claim 6, wherein the sliding member is formed of a first casing and a second casing.

8. The expander of claim 2, wherein the position limiting device comprises a knob and a screw member, while the external tube is provided with a first chute, and the internal tube is provided with a second chute, whereby the knob is inserted through the sliding member, the first chute, and the second chute, and further fastened with the screw member.

9. The expander of claim 8, wherein the linkage assembly is pivotally connected to the sliding member, on an axis defined by the knob.

10. The expander of claim 8, wherein two outer lateral sides of the second chute are provided with a plane, respectively.

11. The expander of claim 8, wherein an axial length of the first chute is shorter than an axial length of the second chute.

12. The expander of claim 1, wherein the linkage assembly comprises at least two linkages, while a connecting bar is transversely disposed on a pivotal junction of the two linkages and the two pivot boards.

13. The expander of claim 2, wherein one end of the internal tube is provided with a fork part, and the roller is disposed on a carriage, while the carriage is provided with a combining part for being fixed to the fork part, and an adjusting member is inserted through the fork part and the combining part for adjusting a pivotal swing angle of the carriage against the fork part.