1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to a connecting structure and, more particularly, to a connecting structure for swivel shafts.
2. Description of Related Art
A swivel shaft may be connected to another swivel shaft by a connecting structure so that the two shafts can rotate together.
A commonly used connecting structure includes a connecting plug formed on an end of a first swivel shaft and a connecting socket fixed on an end of a second swivel shaft. The connecting plug is a substantially regular prism. The connecting socket and the second swivel shaft are aligned along a common axis. The connecting socket is substantially cylindrical and defines a polygonal hole corresponding to the shape of the connecting plug. In use, the connecting plug is received in the polygonal hole of the connecting socket such that the first swivel shaft and the second swivel shaft can rotate together. When the second swivel shaft does not need to rotate together with the first pivot shaft, the connecting plug is detached from the polygonal hole of the connecting socket.
The connecting socket is generally manufactured by turning on, for example, a metal lathe. However, it is difficult to form the polygonal hole on the metal lathe. The distance between the center of the polygonal hole and one border of the polygonal hole easily differs from the distance between the center of the polygonal hole and the other borders of the polygonal hole. As a result, when the connecting plug is received in the connecting socket, the axis of the second swivel shaft deviates from the axis of the first swivel shaft, causing vibration and compromising stability.
Therefore, there is room for improvement within the art.
The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present disclosure. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, and all the views are schematic.
Referring to
The connecting plug 25 and the first swivel shaft 21 are substantially aligned along a common axis. The connecting plug includes a connecting portion 251, a flange 252, and an extending portion 253 in that order. The connecting portion 251 is fixed to the first swivel shaft 21. The flange 252 is substantially cylindrical and larger than both the connecting portion 251 and the extending portion 253. The extending portion 253 is a substantially regular prism and includes a plurality of engaging surfaces (not labeled) configured to engage the connecting socket 27. In the illustrated embodiment, the extending portion 253 is a substantially regular hexagonal prism and the engaging surfaces are six side surfaces thereof.
Referring to
The contact structure 275 includes an elastic member 2751 and a contact member 2753. The elastic member 2751 may be a spring and includes a first end abutting a bottom surface of the receiving groove 2715 and a second end abutting the contact member 2753. The contact member 2753 may be a shaft including a sliding flange 2755 formed on a middle portion thereof. The sliding flange 2755 corresponds to the sliding hole 2713. Opposite ends of the contact member 2753 are respectively received in the receiving hole 2731 and the receiving groove 2715. Since the diameter of the sliding hole 2713 exceeds the diameter of the receiving groove 2715 and the diameter of the receiving hole 2731, the sliding flange 2755 is slidable between the barrel 273 and the stepped portion 2716. Thus, the sliding range of the sliding flange 2755 is restricted and the contact member 2753 is prevented from detaching from the sliding hole 2713.
Referring also to
Referring also to
Since the resisting points of the positioning members 28 are aligned in the receiving hole 2731 of the barrel 273 in a circle to respectively abut the engaging surfaces of the extending portion 253 of the connecting plug 25, the extending portion 253 of the connecting plug 25 is non-rotatably received in the receiving hole 2731 so that the connecting plug 25 and the connecting socket 27 are substantially aligned along a common axis. Therefore, the axis of the first swivel shaft 21 largely conforms to the axis of the second swivel shaft 23. When the positioning members 28 are evenly aligned in the receiving hole 2731 of the barrel 273, the connecting structure 200 is better able to prevent the axis of the first swivel shaft 21 from deviating from the axis of the second swivel shaft 23.
The receiving hole 2731 is not limited to a circular shape, and may be other shapes if the resisting points of the positioning members 28 are aligned in a circle in the receiving hole 2731.
In an alternative embodiment, the resisting points of the positioning members 28 are not aligned in a circle in the receiving hole 2731, but rather in different circles whose centers are positioned at the axis of the second swivel shaft 23. Further, the projections of the resisting points of the positioning members 28 form a circle concentric with the second swivel shaft 23 on a plane perpendicular to the axis of the second swivel shaft 23.
The barrel 273 may be integrally formed with the main body 271 of the connecting socket 27. The positioning members 28 may be hemispherical protrusions directly formed in the receiving hole 2731.
The shape of the extending portion 253 of the connecting plug 25 is not limited to a regular hexagonal prism, and may be another shape such as a regular quadrangular prism, and a regular eight-sided prism. Accordingly, the number of positioning members 28 corresponds to the number of side surfaces of the extending portion 253 of the connecting plug 25. Further, the extending portion 253 of the connecting plug 25 may be substantially cylindrical and defines a plurality of sliding grooves therein corresponding to the positioning members 28 such that the resisting points of the positioning members 28 can abut bottom surfaces in the sliding grooves.
The number of positioning members 28 may be less than that of the engaging surfaces of the extending portion 253 of the connecting plug, for example, the extending portion 253 can include eight engaging surfaces and the number of positioning members 28 is four.
It is believed that the present embodiments and their advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the embodiments or sacrificing all of their material advantages.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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200910301452.2 | Apr 2009 | CN | national |