Patent Application
20170108167
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a clamping device, and more particularly to a clamping device with auxiliary functions so that the clamping device is capable of clamping an electronic device, like a smart phone, and capable of providing auxiliary functions, like serving as a phone photo-taking selfie.
2. The Prior Arts
Using a smart phone, a tablet computer, a navigation device, taking photo with the smart phones, surfing the Internet, watching movies, and vehicle navigation over the smart phones are common jobs done by majority of people nowadays. Regarding this matter, there are a lot of related assistive tools, such as a phone photo-taking selfie, a tripod or a hanging device that has a clamping device for clamping a smart phone and together with other assistant instruments to facilitate in taking one's own photo with the smart phone. For instance, a conventional phone photo-taking selfie includes a clamping member and a retractable rod unit mounted at a rear side surface of the clamping member in order to adjust the distance between the smart phone and the phone user so as to facilitate in taking one's own photograph. The conventional phone photo-taking selfie further includes a base member that is fixed at a bottom of the clamping member and that holds the smart phone at a horizontal position such that the user can easily surf the Internet or watch a movie in the display panel of the smart phone, thereby eliminating the problem of holding the smart phone by a user hand. The hanging device generally includes an engagement groove. A hook connected to a suction cup inserts into the engagement groove and the suction cup is adapted to be press-fitted onto a windscreen of a car so that the driver can hang his smart phone on the hanging device once the smart phone is switched to a navigation mode for providing guiding information or the traveling route.
It is noted that the majority of presently available assistive tools each provides a single function only. In other words, each assistive tool fails to provide multiple functions, like taking one's own photo, supporting the smart phone at a desired angle to facilitate watching by the user or sticking the smart phone on a windscreen of a car for serving as navigation system.
To be more specific, the conventional phone photo-taking selfie includes a single retractable rod such that the retractable rod can not hold the smart phone at a horizontal position. In addition, the retractable rod is mounted at a rear side surface of the clamping member and in case the rear side surface thereof is formed with an engagement groove, the retractable rod may cover the engagement groove and may prevent mounting of the suction cup in the groove such that the smart phone cannot be fixed on the suction cup.
In the event that the retractable rod is mounted to the base member, the former fails to provide the supporting function. Moreover, if an engagement groove is formed on the rear side surface of the clamping member, a fixed angle will be formed between the base member and the clamping member owing to integrally formation between the two, in which, the base member prevents attachment of the hook and the suction cup with respect to the engagement groove. Under this condition, the suction cup cannot be press-fitted onto the windscreen of a car.
Whether a retractable rod is disposed at the rear side surface of the clamping member or a base member is attached to a lower portion of the clamping member, said retractable rod or said base member prevents attachment of the hook and the suction cup with respect to the engagement groove, which in turn, causes the suction cup unable to be press-fitted onto the windscreen of a car.
A primary objective of the present invention is to provide a clamping device having a telescopic structure provided with auxiliary functions, such as support and retractable-extending features so as not to interfere with the hanging member fixed to a suction cup and the hook member of a clamp seat, thereby facilitating the user in taking a photo by himself.
A clamping device with auxiliary functions of the present invention according includes a pivot seat, a clamp seat and a telescopic structure.
The clamp seat is used for clamping an object thereon and is formed a hook member, and has a lower portion connected pivotally to the pivot seat.
The telescopic structure is disposed behind the clamp seat, defines a hollow space corresponding to the hook member of the clamp seat, and includes two retractable rod units. Each retractable rod unit includes a first retractable rod having a first end connected pivotally to the pivot seat and a second retractable rod connected movably to the first retractable rod such that the second retractable rod is movable relative to the first retractable rod between a retractable position, in which, the first retractable rods are accommodated within the second retractable rods and an extended position, in which, the first retractable rods are exposed at least partially to exteriors of the second retractable rods.
In one embodiment of the present invention, the clamp seat includes a primary plate, a clamping block, a back plate and a spring. The primary plate has a front side surface formed with two support stubs projecting frontward and a rear side surface formed with the lower portion and two pivot lugs projecting rearward for connecting pivotally to the pivot seat. The clamping block includes a movable plate disposed movably between the primary plate and the back plate and a clamping plate disposed atop the movable plate in such a manner to extend transversely, frontwardly beyond a top end of the primary plate. The back plate has a rear side surface formed with the hook member. The spring is disposed between the movable plate and the back plate, and has two opposite ends respectively connected to the movable plate and the back plate. Preferably, the rear side surface of the primary plate is formed with an insert hole. The back plate has a front side surface formed with an insert stick for extending into the insert hole in the primary plate. The movable plate has a rear side surface formed with a hook for engagement with one end of the spring while another end thereof is engaged to the insert stick of the back plate. To be more specific, the movable plate has a lower portion formed with an opening to permit extension of the insert stick of the back plate while the movable plate is disposed movably between the primary plate and the back plate. The clamp seat further includes four cushioning pads, one is disposed on the front side surface of the primary plate, two are disposed on the support stubs of the primary plate while one is disposed at a lower surface of the clamping plate in front of the movable plate.
According to the present invention, the hook member of the back plate is configured as an engagement channel. The engagement channel preferably includes a dented potion and an opening portion connected spatially to the dented portion and extending through the back plate. The opening portion has a dimension smaller than the dented portion such that the dented portion and the opening portion are configured as T-shape.
In one embodiment of the present invention, each of the two second retractable rods defines a first-rod reception channel such that when the second retractable rods are moved to the retractable position, the first retractable rods are accommodated within the first-rod reception channels in the second retractable rods and that when the second retractable rods are moved to the extended position, the first retractable rods are exposed at least partially to the exteriors of the second retractable rods. Each retractable rod unit further includes a third retractable rods connected telescopically to the first and second retractable rods. To be more specific, each of the two third retractable rods defines a second-rod reception channel such that when the second and third retractable rods are moved to the retractable position, the first retractable rods are accommodated within the second-rod reception channels in the third retractable rods while the third retractable rods are accommodated with the first-rod reception channels in the second retractable rods, and when the second and third retractable rods are moved to the extended position, the first retractable rods are exposed at least partially to the exteriors of the third retractable rods while the third retractable rods are exposed at least partially to the exteriors of the second retractable rods.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, the telescopic structure further includes a handgrip defining two parted rod-reception channels for receiving the two second retractable rods therein. Preferably, the handgrip includes a handgrip body formed with the two parted rod-reception channels and the hollow space, two covers respectively covering the two parted rod-reception channels and formed with two positioning holes, and two fasteners extending through two positioning holes in the two second retractable rods and the two positioning holes in the two covers, thereby fixing the two second retractable rods in the two parted rod-reception channels.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, the pivot seat includes a pivot body defining a horizontal through hole and two vertical holes for receiving the two first retractable rods therein, an axle extending rotatably through the horizontal through hole in the pivot body, and a rotary knob mounted detachably on one end of the axle. The lower portion of the clamp seat is connected pivotally to the axle such that rotation of the rotary knob relative to the pivot body results in tightening and loosening of the lower portion of the clamp seat relative to the pivot body. Preferably, the clamp seat is rotatable relative to the pivot seat within a range greater than 180°.
One distinct feature of the present invention resides in that the telescopic structure of the clamping device provides the support function in addition to the retractable-and-extendable function, and does not affect attachment of the hanging member of the suction cup relative to the hook member of the clamp seat, thereby facilitating in taking of photographs by himself, supporting the smart phone at a desired angle relative to the user or hanging of the smart phone on the windscreen of a car for serving as a navigation system.
The present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art by reading the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof, with reference to the attached drawings, in which:
The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the invention, and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification. The drawings illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.
Referring to
The pivot seat 10 includes a pivot body 11, an axle 13 and a rotary knob 15. The pivot body 11 defines a horizontal through hole 111 (see
The clamp seat 20 is used for clamping an object (such as a smart phone or a tablet computer) thereon and is formed a hook member 21, and has a lower portion connected pivotally to the pivot seat 10. To be more specific, the clamp seat 20 is rotatable relative to the pivot seat 10 in a range greater than 180°. Note that that rotation range is set as an example only, other smaller or greater range should also be included in the scope of the present invention. The clamp seat 20 preferably includes a primary plate 22, a clamping block 24, a back plate 25 and a spring 26. The primary plate 22 has a front side surface formed with two support stubs 221 projecting frontward and a rear side surface formed with the lower portion and two pivot lugs 223 projecting rearward for connecting pivotally to the pivot seat 10, into which the axle 13 is inserted rotatably. The clamping block 24 includes a movable plate 241 disposed movably between the primary plate 22 and the back plate 25, and a clamping plate 243 disposed atop the movable plate 241 in such a manner to extend transversely, frontwardly beyond a top end of the primary plate 22. The clamp seat 20 further includes four cushioning pads 23, one is disposed on the front side surface of the primary plate 22, two on the support stubs 221 of the primary plate 22 while one is disposed at a lower surface the clamping plate 243 in front of the movable plate 241. The back plate 25 has a rear side surface formed with the hook member 21. Preferably, the hook member 21 is configured as an engagement channel that consists of a dented portion 211 and an opening portion 213 connected spatially with the dented portion 211 and extending through the back plate 25. The opening portion 213 has a dimension smaller than the dented portion 211 such that the dented portion 211 and the opening portion 213 are configured as inverted T-shaped (see
The telescopic structure 30 is disposed behind the clamp seat 20, defines a hollow space 3313 corresponding to the hook member 21 of the back plate 25, and includes two retractable rod units 31. Each retractable rod unit 31 includes a first retractable rod 311 having a first end connected to the pivot seat 10 and a second retractable rod 312 connected movably to the first retractable rod 311 such that the second retractable rods 311 are movable relative to the first retractable rods 312 between a retractable position, in which, the first retractable rods 311 are accommodated within the second retractable rods 312 and an extended position, in which, the first retractable rods 311 are exposed at least partially to an exterior of the second retractable rods 312. To be more specific, each of the two second retractable rods 312 defines a first-rod reception channel such that when the second retractable rods 312 are moved to the retractable position, the first retractable rods 311 are accommodated within the first-rod reception channels in the second retractable rods 312 and that when the second retractable rods 312 are moved to the extended position, the first retractable rods 311 are exposed at least partially to the exteriors of the second retractable rods 312. Preferably, each retractable rod unit 31 further includes a third retractable rods 313 connected telescopically to the first and second retractable rods 311, 312. Each of the two third retractable rods 313 defines a second-rod reception channel such that when the second and third retractable rods 311, 313 are moved to the retractable position, the first retractable rods 311 are accommodated within the second-rod reception channels in the third retractable rods 313 while the third retractable rods 313 are accommodated with the first-rod reception channels in the second retractable rods 312 and when the second and third retractable rods 311, 313 are moved to the extended position, the first retractable rods 311 are exposed at least partially to the exteriors of the third retractable rods 313 while the third retractable rods 313 are exposed at least partially to the exteriors of the second retractable rods 312 (see
After explaining the connection arrangement among the elements, a first used mode of the clamping device of the present invention will be described herein. As best illustrated in
The telescopic structure 30 of the clamping device of the present invention not only provides the extendable-retractable function, the support functions but also does not hinder mounting of the hanger 201 of the suction device 2 to the back plate 25 of the clamping device of the present invention, thereby providing several auxiliary functions to the user.
Although the present invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiments thereof, it is apparent to those skilled in the art that a variety of modifications and changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention which is intended to be defined by the appended claims.
