BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an elevating device, more particularly to an elevating device for loading electronic equipment thereon.
2. Description of the Related Art
For various-sized game machines, a small-sized game machine is usually placed on a loading frame, but a large-sized game machine is directly placed on the floor. As such, taller and shorter players cannot operate the fixed large-sized game machine at a comfortable posture.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide an elevating device for loading electronic equipment thereon that can position the electronic equipment at a desired height.
According to the present invention, an elevating device comprises:
a base;
a cover unit movable vertically on and covering the base, the cover unit cooperating with the base so as to define a volume-variable inner accommodating space therebetween; and
a driving mechanism disposed in the inner accommodating space and including
an extendable and retractable supporting unit mounted on the base for supporting the cover unit thereon, and
a telescopic driving unit interconnecting the supporting unit and the base and operable so as to drive the supporting unit to extend and retract, thereby moving the cover unit to a desired position.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the preferred embodiment of an elevating device according to this invention when loading electronic equipment thereon;
FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the preferred embodiment when an extendable and retractable supporting unit of the preferred embodiment is at an extended position;
FIG. 3 is a schematic sectional view showing the preferred embodiment; and
FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating a driving unit of the preferred embodiment.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to FIGS. 1 to 3, the preferred embodiment of an elevating device 3 according to the present invention is shown to include a base 4, a cover unit 6, and a driving mechanism 5. The elevating device 3 is adapted for loading electronic equipment, such as a large-sized game machine 2, thereon.
In this embodiment, the base 4 has a bottom wall 41, and a surrounding wall 42 connected integrally to a peripheral portion of the bottom wall 41.
The cover unit 6 is movable vertically on and covers the base 4. The cover unit 6 cooperates with the base 4 so as to define a volume-variable inner accommodating space 7 therebetween. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, the cover unit 6 includes a cover body 60 having a front surface 63 formed with a drawer-receiving groove 66, and a drawer 65 disposed movably in the drawer-receiving groove 66 in the cover body 60. The cover body 60 has a top wall 61, a surrounding wall 62 connected integrally to a periphery of the top wall 61, and an inner wall 64 disposed parallel to and under the top wall 61 and having a periphery that is connected integrally to the surrounding wall 62. The top wall 61 cooperates with the inner wall 64 and an upper portion 621 of the surrounding wall 62 of the cover body 60 so as to define the drawer-receiving groove 66. The surrounding wall 62 of the cover body 60 has an annular inner surface 620 that is in slidable contact with an annular outer surface 420 of the surrounding wall 42 of the base 4. The bottom wall 41 and the surrounding wall 42 of the base 4 cooperate with the inner wall 64 and a lower portion 622 of the surrounding wall 62 of the cover body 60 so as to define the inner accommodating space 7. The driving mechanism 5 is disposed in the inner accommodating space 7, and includes an expendable and extractable supporting unit 51, a telescopic driving unit 52 and a carrying plate 53. The supporting unit 51 is mounted on the base 4 for supporting the cover unit 6 thereon. The carrying plate 53 is disposed between inner wall 64 of the cover body 60 and the supporting unit 51. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, the supporting unit 51 includes a pair of foldable link units 511, 512 each having upper and lower ends connected pivotally and respectively to the carrying plate 53 and the bottom wall 41 of the base 4. Each of the link units 511, 512 includes two link members 513 that are connected pivotally to each other by means of a pivot pin 514. Each of the link members 513 of one of the link units 511, 512 intersects a respective one of the link members 513 of the other one of the link units 511, 512 at a middle portion. Each link member 513 of each of the link units 511, 512 includes two parallel links 5131 that are interconnected by a respective one of the pivot pins 514 (see FIG. 2) so as to prevent relative rotation and movement therebetween.
The driving unit 52 interconnects the supporting unit 51 and the base 4, and is operable so as to drive the supporting unit 51 to extend and retract, thereby moving the cover unit 6 to a desired position. In this embodiment, referring further to FIG. 4, the driving unit 52 includes a fluid cylinder 521, a control switch 523 and a driving motor 522. The fluid cylinder 521, such as a hydraulic cylinder, has a cylinder body 5211 connected pivotally to the bottom wall 41 of the base 4, and a piston rod 5121 coupled movably to the cylinder body 5211 and connected pivotally to an uppermost one of the link members 513 of the link unit 512 of the supporting unit 51. The control switch 523 is mounted on the bottom wall 41 of the base 4 (see FIG. 2), and is operable so as to output a control signal. The driving motor 522 is connected electrically to the control switch 523 for driving the piston rod 5212 based on the control signal from the control switch 523 to move and position the supporting unit 51 to the desired position.
In actual use, the elevating device 3 of this invention can position the game machine 2 supported thereby at a desired height suitable for a player through control for extension and retraction of the supporting unit 51 by the control switch 523. Furthermore, due to the presence of the drawer 65, the elevating device 3 of this invention can provide an additional accommodating space, thereby resulting in added convenience during use.
While the present invention has been described in connection with what is considered the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is understood that this invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiment but is intended to cover various arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent arrangements.
Patent Application
20080205007
