BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Many aspects of the present hooking device can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present device. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.
FIG. 1 is an assembled, isometric view of a hooking device in accordance with a first exemplary embodiment, the hooking device including a hook, a spring, and a base;
FIG. 2 is an enlarged, isometric view of the hook of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is an enlarged, isometric view of the spring of FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 is an enlarged, isometric view of the base of FIG. 1;
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the hooking device taken along line V-V in FIG. 1; and
FIG. 6 is an isometric view of a hook in accordance with a second exemplary embodiment.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Reference will now be made to the drawings to describe the preferred embodiments of the present casing, in detail.
Referring to FIG. 1, a hooking device 14 in accordance with a first exemplary embodiment is illustrated. The hooking device 14 includes a hook 20, a spring 40, and a base 60. The hook 20 is mounted to the base 60, and the spring 40 engages with the hook 20 to provide a restoration force to the hook 20.
Referring to FIG. 2, a bar-shaped main portion 202 is provided on the hook 20. A catch portion 204 is formed from a first side at a distal end of the main portion 202, engageable with a latch of a latching device or engageable in a opening defined in the latching device for clasping the hooking device 14 and the latching device together. A pair of shoulder portions 206 extends outwards from the other distal end of the main portion 202 along an axis AA. A pair of shaft portions 208 sequentially extends outwards from the shoulder portions 206 along the axis AA. A baffle portion 210 protrudes from a second side of the main portion 202 opposite to the catch portion 204. A pair of shield portions 212 correspondingly from the opposite first, second sides of the main portion 202. The hook 20 is integrally formed.
Referring to FIG. 3, the spring 40 includes a pair of winding portions 402, a pair of first arms 403, a connecting portion 404, a pair of second arms 406, and a pair of resisting portions 408, and a pair of holding portions 410. The axes of rotation of the winding portions 402 are coaxially disposed along the axis AA. The first arms 403, each extending tangentially from one end of the corresponding winding portion 402, are connected via the connecting portion 404. The connecting portion 404 is parallel to the axis AA. The second arms 406, each extend tangentially from an outer end of the winding portion 402, and connect to the resisting portions 408 correspondingly. The resisting portions 408 are bent with respect to the second arms 406. The holding portions 410 extend from the resisting portions 408, and are further bent with respect to the second arms 406.
Referring to FIG. 4, the base 60 forms a base plate 610 defining an opening 660. The opening 660 is configured to allow a part of the main portion 202 and the catch portion 204 of the hook 20 to protrude through to clasp the latching device. The part of the main portion 202 and the catch portion 204 is moveable in the opening 660 along a direction perpendicular to the axis direction AA, thus, clasping or releasing the latching device. A pair of parallel receiving plates 630 extends perpendicularly from the base plate 610 for accommodating the shaft portions 208 of the hook 20. A pair of bearing plates 640, juxtaposed with each other at an interval, extends perpendicularly from the base plate 610 for bearing the holding portions 408 of the spring 40. The bearing plates 640 are parallel to the axis direction AA, and respectively connect with lateral edges of the supporting plates 630. An elastic arm 650 extends from the base plate 610, between the bearing plates 640.
Each of the supporting plates 630 defines an accommodating notch 634 for accommodating the shaft portions 208. The accommodating notches 634 are aligned with the axis AA. A guiding surface 602 is formed at a side of each of the accommodating notches 634, and communicates with an accommodating surface 636 surrounding the accommodating notch 634 correspondingly. The guiding surfaces 602 are formed at an angle to the base plate 610, and opposite to the elastic arm 650 with respect to the axis AA.
Each of the bearing plates 640 defines a V-shaped recess 642 from a free edge, and a V-shaped loading plate 644 is thus formed at a bottom of each recess 642.
The elastic arm 650 sequentially includes a fixing portion 652, a pushing portion 654, and a guiding portion 656. The fixing portion 652 extends perpendicularly from the base plate 610. The pushing portion 654 extends from a free end of the fixing portion 652, and is bent towards the axis AA. The guiding portion 656 extends from a free end of the pushing portion 654, and is bent away from the axis AA. A strengthening rib 658 is formed at a middle of the fixing portion 652, and extends to the pushing portion 654.
Referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 5, an assembly procedure of the hooking device 14 will be detailedly described. The spring 40 is firstly assembled to the hook 20, with the winding portions 402 sleeved onto the shoulder portions 206, and the connecting portion 404 positioned between the baffle portion 210 and the shield portion 212. The connecting portion 404 of the spring is blocked by the baffle portion 210 of the hook 20, and the spring 40 is thus fixed with respect to the hook 20. Subsequently, the hook 20 with the spring 40 is to be assembled to the base 60. The catch portion 204 and the main portion 202 of the hook 20 are moved into the space between the supporting plates 630 and the elastic arm 650. The shaft portions 208 of the hook 20 are placed on the guiding surface 632 of the base 60, and the end of the main portion 202 of the hook 20 is resisted by the guiding portion 656 of the elastic arm 650. The hook 20 is pushed along the guiding surfaces 632, and the elastic arm 650 is deformed away from the axis AA to allow the shaft portions 208 gradually enter the accommodating notched 634 via the guiding surfaces 632. After the shaft portions 208 enter the accommodating notches 634, the elastic arm 650 restores and pushing the end of the main portion 202 to keep the hook 20 in position. At the same time when the shaft portions 208 enters the accommodating notches 634, the resisting portions 408 and the holding portions 410 clasp the loading plate 644. The resisting portions 408 of the hook 20 contact edges of the loading plates 644, and the holding portions 410 are received in the recesses 642. After assembly, the shield portions 212 of the hook 20 respectively cover the ends of the spring 40 extending from the winding portions 402 along different directions, and the hooking device 14 is thus in good appearance.
At rest, the hook 20 protrudes from the opening 660, and clasps the latching device. When an external force is applied, the hook 20 is moved around the axis AA in the opening 660 along the direction perpendicular to the axis AA thus releasing the latching device. Once the external force is removed, the hook 20 automatically returns to the initial position under the restoration force of the spring 40 applied by the connecting portion 404.
Referring to FIG. 6, a hook 80 in accordance with another embodiment is shown. Similarly, the hook 80 includes a main portion 802, a catch portion 804, a pair of shaft portions 808, and a pair of shield portions 812. Distinctly, the shoulder portions are omitted. In other words, the shaft portions 808 perform as the shoulder portions 206 and the shaft portions 208 of the hook 20 in the first embodiment. Substitutionally, a slot 810 is defined in the main portion 802 to receive the connecting portion 404 of the spring 40 therein, substituting for the baffle portion 210 of the hook 20 in the first embodiment.
As described above, the ends of the winding portions 402 are properly positioned and fixed, and the hooking device 14 is thus in good condition no matter in assembly or in use. The configuration of the hooking device 14 is strengthened with enhanced endurance.
The foregoing description of the exemplary embodiments of the invention has been presented only for the purposes of illustration and description and is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to explain the principles of the invention and their practical application so as to enable others skilled in the art to utilize the invention and various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. Alternative embodiments will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains without departing from its spirit and scope. Accordingly, the scope of the present invention is defined by the appended claims rather than the foregoing description and the exemplary embodiments described therein.
Patent Application
20070290512
