BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The drawings included herein provide a further understanding of the invention. A brief introduction of the drawings is as follows:
FIG. 1 is a first exploded perspective view of the sliding self-locking mechanism of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a second exploded perspective view of the sliding self-locking mechanism of the present invention;
FIG. 3 is a top view of the first linking element of the sliding self-locking mechanism of the present invention;
FIG. 4 is a third exploded perspective view of the sliding self-locking mechanism of the present invention;
FIG. 5 is a top view of the second linking element of the sliding self-locking mechanism of the present invention;
FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the cross-sectional line 6-6 of FIG. 5;
FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of the sliding self-locking mechanism of the sliding self-locking mechanism of the present invention;
FIG. 8 is a first perspective view of the sliding self-locking mechanism of the sliding self-locking mechanism of the present invention;
FIG. 9 is a second perspective view of the sliding self-locking mechanism of the sliding self-locking mechanism of the present invention;
FIG. 10 is a first operation schematic diagram of the sliding self-locking mechanism of the present invention;
FIG. 11 is a second operation schematic diagram of the sliding self-locking mechanism of the present invention;
FIG. 12 is a third operation schematic diagram of the sliding self-locking mechanism of the present invention;
FIG. 13 is a first operation schematic diagram of another embodiment of the sliding self-locking mechanism of the present invention;
FIG. 14 is a second operation schematic diagram of another embodiment of the sliding self-locking mechanism of the present invention; and
FIG. 15 is a perspective view of the sliding element of the sliding self-locking mechanism of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Reference is made to FIGS. 1 and 2. The sliding self-locking mechanism 3 of the present invention is used for linking a first module 1 and a second module 2 in an electronic device.
In this embodiment, a multiple-function machine is taken as an example to illustrate the first module 1 and the second module 2. The sliding self-locking mechanism 3 of the present invention is used particularly for linking two modules of large dimensions, such as a scanning unit and an outputting unit of a multiple-function machine, its size is large and it is heavy. Furthermore, the sliding self-locking mechanism 3 of the present invention can be applied in the printer, the copying machine, or the fax machine, etc. The sliding self-locking mechanism 3 of the present invention can also be applied in an electronic device having a smaller volume, such as a digital still camera and its charging module.
The first module 1 and the second module 2 fitting in with the sliding self-locking mechanism 3 are described. The first module 1 has a pair of first linking elements 10 that correspond to each other. In this embodiment, the first linking element 10 is installed at the bottom of the scanning unit 40 of the multiple-function machine. The second module 2 has a pair of second linking elements 20 that correspond to each other. The second linking element 20 is installed at the top of the outputting unit (not shown in the figure) of the multiple-function machine. The first linking element 10 is connected with the second linking element 20 by a sliding method.
Reference is made to FIGS. 1-3. The first linking element 10 has a rectangular shape and individually extends downward to an assembly board 11 and an interfering element 12. The interfering element 12 is located at the inner side of assembly board 11 and is adjacent to the assembly board 11. The first linking element 10 is not limited to the above shape. For example, the pair of first linking elements 10 are connected with each other and are inverse U-shaped. The assembly board has a through hole 111. The through hole 111 is adjacent to the interfering element 12. As shown in FIG. 3, two sides of the assembly board 12 individually extend outward to form two pairs of positioning parts 112 that correspond to each other. One side of the interfering element 12 extends downward to form a push-contacting part 121 having an arc-shaped.
Reference is made to FIGS. 4-9. The second linking element 20 has a rectangular shape and has a receiving space 21. The second linking elements 20 have two pivoting shafts 22 that correspond to each other and protrude into the receiving space 21. The second linking elements 20 further have a guiding part 23 and a locking part 24 that protrude into the receiving space 21. The guiding part 23 and the locking part 24 each have a convex column hole. The second linking elements 20 further have a wedged area 25. The wedged area 25 is adjacently linked in the inner part of the receiving space 21 and is hollow. The wedged area 25 has two guiding openings 26 that correspond to each other.
The sliding self-locking mechanism 3 is installed between one of the first linking elements 10 and one of the second linking elements 20. In this embodiment, the sliding self-locking mechanism 3 is located in the second linking element 20. Reference is made to FIG. 4. The sliding self-locking mechanism 3 includes a supporting base 30, a sliding block 31, a flexible flake 32, a touch-control element 33, and a flexible element 34. The sliding block 31 extends outward to form a locking rod 311 and a linking rod 312 that are slidingly installed at the supporting base 30. Thereby, the sliding block 31 moves along a direction that is vertical to the supporting base 30.
Reference is made to FIG. 7. The flexible flake 32 has a bottom and a top. The bottom is located at the supporting base 30, and the top contacts the interfering element 12 and is adjacent to the sliding block 31.
The touch-control element 33 is located at another side of the supporting base 30 and corresponds to the sliding block 31, and is jointed with one free end of the linking rod 312. When the user disassembles the modules, the touch-control element 33 is pressed to push the sliding block 31 for separating from the supporting base 30.
The flexible element 34 is located at another side of the sliding block 31 and corresponds to the touch-control element 33, and is pushed and contacted to the sliding block for pushing the sliding block 31. When the user releases the touch-control element 33, the flexible element 34 makes the sliding block 31 recover to its original location.
The supporting base 30 has a bottom 301. One side of the bottom 301 extends upward to form a side wall 302. The bottom side of the bottom 301 protrudes to form two pivoting parts 303. The two pivoting parts 303 are individually pivoted with the pivoting shafts 22 of the second linking element 20. The side wall 302 has two through holes 304 and a guiding rod 305. Another side of the sliding block 31 that corresponds to the locking rod 311 protrudes a protruding part 313 and a plugging hole 314. In this embodiment, the flexible element 34 is a compressed spring 34. One end of the flexible element 34 pushes and contacts to the protruding part 313. Another end of the flexible element 34 pushes and contacts the wall of the second linking element 20.
The guiding rod 305 of the supporting base 30 is slidingly installed into the plugging hole 314 of the sliding block 31. The locking rod 311 and the linking rod 312 of the sliding block 31 individually pass through the two through holes 304 of the supporting base 30. The linking rod 312 of the sliding block 31 is also exposed from the guiding part 23 of the second linking element 20. On the free end of the linking rod 312, there is a wedged slot 315. There are two wedged fasteners 311 protruding from one side of the touch-control 33 for wedging with the wedged slot 315 of the linking rod 312 so as to make the toughing element connect with the end of the linking rod 312. The touch-control 33 is located out side of the second linking element 20.
The locking rod 311 of the sliding block 31 corresponds to the locking part 24 of the second linking element 20. The locking rod 311 is slidingly plugged into the locking part 24. A wedged hook 316 extends from the sliding block 31 and faces towards the flexible flake 32. One side of the flexible flake 32 that is adjacent to the wedged hook 316 extends outward to form a guiding flake 321 having an arc shape. The wedged hook 316 of the sliding block 31 is slidingly connected with the guiding flake 321 (as shown in FIG. 9) or is wedged with the flexible flake 32 (as shown in FIG. 8).
Reference is made to FIGS. 2 and 4. The first linking elements 10 are slidingly assembled with the pair of second linking elements 20. The positioning parts 112 of the assembly board 11 are individually guided and enter into the guiding openings 26 of the wedged area 25 so as to push the first linking element 10 to make the first linking element 10 fasten onto the wedged area 25 of the pair of the second linking elements 20. Thereby, a stable first linking point is generated. When the first linking element 10 is slidingly installed to the second linking element 20 at a predetermined location, the flexible element 34 pushes the sliding block 31 so as to make the locking rod 311 of the sliding block 31 slidingly pass into the through hole 111 of the assembly board 11 and the locking part 24 of the second linking element 20. Thereby, the sliding self-locking mechanism 3 locks the first linking element 10 of the first module 1 to generate a stable second linking point.
Reference is made to FIG. 10. The wedged hook 316 of the sliding block 31 wedges and fastens the flexible flake 32, and the top of the flexible flake 32 interferes the push-contacting part 121 located at the bottom of the interfering element 12 of the first linking element 10 so as to make the first linking element 10 fasten.
Reference is made to FIG. 11. When the sliding self-locking mechanism 3 is being disassembled, the user merely pushes the touch-control element 33 to make the sliding block 31 separate from the flexible flake 32. At this moment, the user pushes the module of the first linking element 10 to make the top of the flexible flake 32 that interferes with the push-contacting part 121 located at the bottom of the interfering element 12 of the first element 10 move the flexible flake 32 so as to separate from the wedged hook 316. The sliding block 31 is moved outward. When the user releases the touch-control element 33, the sliding block 31 automatically goes back to the original location due to the flexible element 34 to make the locking rod 311 lock the first linking element 10. At this moment, the flexible flake 32 is located on the outside of the wedged hook 316 of the sliding block 31.
Reference is made to FIG. 12. When the module of the first linking element 10 is disassembled, the user merely needs to push the touch-control element 33 so as to make the sliding block 31 move and the wedged hook 316 wedge the flexible flake 32. At this moment, the locking rod 311 slides to the flexible element 34 to separate from the first linking element 10. Thereby, the module of the first linking element 10 is disassembled. The top of the flexible flake 32 interferes the push-contacting part 121 located at the bottom of the interfering element 12 of the first linking element 10 again to make the flexible flake 32 wedge the wedged hook 316 and move to the sliding block 31. After the module of the first linking element 10 is disassembled, the flexible flake 32 returns to its original location and the wedged hook 316 wedges and fastens the flexible flake 32.
As shown in FIGS. 13, 14 and 15, which show another embodiment of the operating method between the interfering element 12 and the flexible flake 32. The interfering element 12 of the first linking element 10 further includes a sliding element 13 and the interfering element 12 has a sliding slot 122 and a supporting part 123. The sliding element 13 is slidingly installed in the sliding slot 122. The supporting part 123 pushes and contacts the sliding element 13, fastening one direction of the sliding element 13. The sliding element 13 has a body 131. A push-contacting part 132 and a fixing part 133 extend outward from the two sides of the body 131. The push-contacting part 132 corresponds to the fixing part 133. The body 131 is installed in the sliding slot 122 to make the push-contacting part 132 sliding push and contact the flexible flake 32.
When the module on the first linking element 10 is fastened with the module located under the second linking element 20, the left side of the push-contacting part 132 of the sliding element 13 pushes and contacts the supporting part 123 of the interfering element 12 and the right side of the push-contacting part 132 pushes and contacts the top of the flexible flake 32. Thereby, the module on the first linking element is moved and the push-contacting part 132 of the sliding element 13 pushes the flexible flake 32 to make the flexible flake 32 move outward and separate from the wedged hook 316 (as shown in FIG. 13).
When the module on the first linking element 10 is disassembled, the top of the flexible flake 32 pushes and contacts the left side of the push-contacting part 32 to push the module on the first linking element 10 again. The flexible flake 32 makes the sliding element 13 move upward in the sliding slot 122 (as shown in FIG. 14). Thereby, the function the same as the push-contacting part 121 of the interfering element 12 is provided.
The present invention has the following characteristics:
1. The first module 1 is slidingly assembled with the second module 2 via the first linking element 10 and the second linking element 20. It is easy for the user to assemble the first module 1 with the second module 2, and a stable first linking point is provided.
2. When the sliding self-locking mechanism 3 is used for assembling the first linking element 10 with the second linking element 20, the sliding self-locking mechanism 3 utilizes the movement between the interfering element 12 and the flexible flake 32 and utilizes the flexible element 34 to move the locking rod 311 of the sliding block 31 so as to lock the first linking element 10. The self-locking effect is achieved. It is convenient to package the modules and a stable second linking point is provided.
3. When the user disassembles the first module 1, the touch-control element 33 is pressed to make the locking rod 311 of the sliding lock 31 move and separate from the first linking element 10. The wedged hook 316 wedges the flexible flake 32 and fastens the sliding block 31. Therefore, the first linking element is disassembled to make the first module 1 separate from the second module 2. It is easy to disassemble the first module 1 and the second module 2, and it is convenient to maintain the devices.
4. The structure of the sliding self-locking mechanism 3 is simple, its size small and the required space for the devices is small. It can also be used in modulated electronic devices.
5. The two embodiments achieve the same effect. The preset invention provides the operating method between the interfering element 12 of the first linking element 10 and the flexible flake 32 to achieve the self-locking function via the flexile flake 32.
The description above only illustrates specific embodiments and examples of the invention. The invention should therefore cover various modifications and variations made to the herein-described structure and operations of the invention, provided they fall within the scope of the invention as defined in the following appended claims.
Patent Application
20070280777
