Patent ID: 6109815
Filing Date: 2000-08-29
Classification: F16C,F16M,Y10T

Abstract:
An angularly adjustable releasably lockable joint mechanism for rigidly joining first and second parts at a selected orientation, said mechanism comprising:a rounded member having a plurality of concavities on a surface of the rounded member and being secured to the first part;a disengageable actuator having at least one tip and being operative to advance the tip to lock up with the rounded member by penetrating at least one concavity of the rounded member or to retract the tip to disengage it from the rounded member, said actuator being connected with the second part; andmeans for holding the parts, the rounded member and the actuator together, the means allowing the parts to change relative orientation when the actuator tip is retracted, whereinthe rounded member includes a plurality of patterns of spaced apart protuberances covering at least part of its surface, the protuberances of each pattern forming a concavity therebetween,the patterns of each of spaced apart protuberances and the protuberances are substantially a same shape, area and size, and the patterns of spaced apart protuberance having a substantially polygonal configuration,the protuberances, the actuator tip and the patterns of the protuberances are dimensioned so that the tip penetrates the concavity of each pattern and simultaneously contacts the protuberances of the pattern that it penetrates at a locking site but remains spaced from a bottom of the concavity at full penetration, whereby the tip and the pattern of protuberances lock together,the rounded member further having depressions on the surface at the locking site which in conjunction with the protuberances form substantially a sine wave surface at the locking site.