COUPLING DEVICE

A coupling device includes a first member and a second member. The first member has a first base and a first conjunction, wherein the first base has a first end and a second end; the first conjunction has at least two first surfaces facing each other, and a distance between the first surfaces near the second end is shorter than a distance between the first surfaces near the first end. The second member has a second base and a second conjunction, wherein the second base has a third end and a fourth end; the second conjunction has at least two second surfaces facing away from each other, and a distance between the second surfaces near the fourth end is shorter than a distance between the second surfaces near the third end. The first member and the second member can be coupled by abutting the second surfaces against the first surfaces.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The detailed description and technical contents of the present invention will be explained with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the drawings are illustrative only but not used to limit the present invention.

As shown inFIG. 2andFIG. 3, a coupling device1of the preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a first member10and a second member20.

FIG. 4andFIG. 5show that the first member10is an integrated metal plate made by impact molding. The first member10has a first base12and a first conjunction14. The first base12has a first end121and a second end122at opposite sides, and the first base12furthermore has a plurality of through holes123near the second end122. The first conjunction14has four plates141symmetrically by two rows, and each two neighboring plates141of the same row are separated with a predetermined distance. Each plate141has a first surface142, and the first surface142of the plate141faces and expands toward the first surface142of the corresponding plate141of the other row. The corresponding plates141lean toward each other from the first base12. As a result, a angle θ1between each first surface142and the surface of the first base12is less than 90 degrees. Since the plates141of the first conjunction14are designed as separated parts of each row, the structure of the first conjunction14is simplified, and therefore the manufacturing process of the first member10consumes less material, and saves more cost. This is an advantage of the present invention, but the present invention is not limited by the above description. For stronger coupling device, there could be only single plate141of each row in another embodiment instead of separating design. The distance between two corresponding first surfaces142of different rows gradually reduces from the first end121to the second end122. In other words, the distance D1between two corresponding first surfaces142near the first end121is longer than the distance D2between two corresponding first surfaces142near the second end122. In addition, the manufacturing technique of the first member10is not limited as mentioned above; the first member10of the present invention could be made from alloy, engineering plastics, or any suitable materials, and the production method could be welding or assembling in other embodiments.

As shown inFIG. 6andFIG. 7, the second member20is used to couple with the first member10, and the second member20is an integrated metal plate made by impact molding as well. Similar to the first member10, the second member20has a second base22and a second conjunction24. The second base22has a third end221and a fourth end222at opposite sides, and the second base22has a plurality of through holes223. The second conjunction24has two long plates241symmetrically. In other embodiments, the second conjunction24also could have a plurality of separated plates of each row to simplify the structure of the second conjunction21, and to save materials and cost for manufacturing just as the aforementioned first conjunction14. Lengths L2of the plates241is longer than lengths L11of each plate141and the total length L1of the first conjunction14. In other embodiment, if the first conjunction14was designed as a plurality of separated plates141of each row, the length L2of the plate241has to be longer than the distance between the neighboring plates141of the same row. In other embodiments which the second conjunction24is designed as a plurality of separated plates, the length of each plate of the second conjunction24has to be longer than the distance between the neighboring plates141of the same row. Each plate241has a second surface242, and the second surface242of the plate241faces and expands outwards the second surface242of the corresponding plate241of the other row. The corresponding plates241lean away from each other from the first base12. As a result, a angle θ2between each second surface242and the surface of the second base22is less than 90 degrees, and the angle θ2equals the angle θ1. Of course, the manufacturing technique of the second member20is not limited as mentioned above either; the second member20of the present invention could be made from alloy, engineering plastics, or any suitable materials, and the production method could be welding or assembling as well in other embodiments. A distance between the two second surfaces242gradually reduces from ends thereof near the third end221to ends near the fourth end222, and the slope of the second surfaces242corresponds to the slope of the first surfaces142of the first member10. In other words, the distance D3between the ends of the two second surfaces242near the third end221is longer than the distance D4between the ends of the two second surfaces242near the fourth end222. Since the slope of the second surfaces242corresponds to the slope of the first surfaces142of the first member10, and the angle θ2equals the angle θ1, when the first member10and the second member20being coupled, the first surfaces142of the first conjunction14and the second surfaces242of the second conjunction24could abut against each other properly.

Whereby, when a user wants to couple the second member20to the first member10, he/she could move the fourth end222of the second member20toward the first end121of the first member10to let the second conjunction24engage with the first conjunction14. With aforementioned corresponding slopes of the first surfaces142and the second surfaces242, the distance between the ends of two first surfaces142near the first end121is longer than the distance between the ends of the two second surfaces242near the fourth end222, and therefore the second member20could be guided quickly to the first member10. Since the slope of the second surfaces242corresponds to the slope of the first surfaces142of the first member10, and the plates141of different rows are getting closer from the first end121toward the second end122(so are the first surfaces142), the second member20could be guided gradually to the purposed position, and finally coupled with the first member10firmly. Once the two second surfaces242abut against the first surfaces142, the first member10and the second member20is coupled. In addition, because the lengths L2of the plates241are longer than the length L11of the plates141and the total length L1of the first conjunction14, when the second conjunction24and the first conjunction14is coupled, each plate241of the second conjunction24is supported by the first conjunction14; and the plates241won't be hindered by the separation between two neighboring plates141while the second member20being moved. Furthermore, the aforementioned angle θ1and θ2are less than 90 degrees, such design provides supporting forces from both sides when the first member10and the second member20are coupled horizontally (i.e., the first member10and the second member20are placed left and right), and provides hanging forces when the first member10and the second member20are coupled vertically (i.e., the first member10and the second member20are placed up and down).

As mentioned above, the first surfaces142of different rows of the first conjunction14are getting closer from the first end121to the second end122, and the second surfaces242of the second conjunction24are getting closer from the third end221to the fourth end222, and therefore a corresponding angle is formed between the first surfaces142and the second surfaces242. In other words, the angle formed by the two rows of the first conjunction14is corresponding to the angle formed by the two rows of the second conjunction24. Besides, the angle θ1is formed between the first surfaces142and the surface of the first base12, and the angle θ2is formed between the second surfaces242and the surface of the second base22. Therefore, the coupling device1of the present invention has corresponding slope for the first surfaces142and the second surfaces242, as shown inFIG. 2; on the other hand, there is a corresponding angle between the plates141and the first base12, and there is a corresponding angle between the plates241and the second base22, as shown inFIG. 5andFIG. 7.

It is worth mentioning that when the second member20is coupled with the first member10, the third end221of the second base22and the first end121of the first base12are facing toward the same direction, and the second member20can be separated from the first member10by moving the second member20toward the third end221for a predetermined distance.

As shown inFIG. 8andFIG. 9, the coupling device1of the present invention could be used to couple and secure two objects, and in this preferred embodiment, one object is a network device110, and the other object is a rack120. Before performing the coupling, a user may respectively lock two first members10at a predetermined position on the rack120by passing a plurality of bolts130or other lock members through the through holes123, and then use the bolts130to lock two second members20respectively to the both sides at the end of the network device110. While installing the network device110, the second members20locked on the network device110are moved toward the first members10locked on the rack120. Meanwhile, the second conjunction24of each second member20is located between the first conjunctions14of the corresponding first members10. Since the distance between the first surfaces14and the distance between the second surfaces24respectively gradually reduce toward the second end122and the fourth end222, the second surfaces24are gradually abutted against the first surface14, which has the effect of quickly guiding, easily aligning, and firmly coupling.

The conventional L-shaped plates100could be further used to connect the network device110and the rack120to better ensure that the network device110is secured onto the rack120without tilting, deforming, or falling down.

Furthermore, in case the aforementioned coupling device1is damaged or consumed, a user could easily separate the second member20from the first member10by loosening the L-shaped plates100, and moving the network device100. In this way, the purpose to maintain and replace parts could be easily achieved.

In conclusion, the coupling device1of the present invention has simple structure, low manufacturing cost, and can be used to secure a network device quickly and firmly, and therefore the coupling device1could lower the cost for human resource and maintenance. In other embodiments, the lengths of the first member and the second member could be extended to perform the same function of the present invention without using the L-shaped plates. As shown inFIG. 10, the first conjunction34of the first member30and the second conjunction44of the second member40are both designed as a pair of long plates, and as shown inFIG. 11, the first surfaces541of the first conjunction54and the second surfaces641of the second conjunction64are corresponding cambered surfaces. The design shown inFIG. 10andFIG. 11could provide the same function of the present invention too. Of course, the coupling device of the present invention not only can be used to secure a network device onto a rack, but also can be used to secure other objects onto other fixtures.

The description above is a few preferred embodiments of the present invention, and the equivalence of the present invention is still in the scope of claim construction of the present invention.