Assembly structure of tubular body and handle

An assembly structure of a tubular body and a handle includes a tube, two connecting members, a handle, a position-limiting member and a blocking member. The tubular body has at least one pair of insertion holes. Each connecting member has a concave surface with a positioning post. The connecting members are mounted on the outer periphery of the tubular body with the positioning posts inserted into the insertion holes respectively. The handle is connected to a coupling base. The coupling base has a mounting hole and is mounted around the connecting members. The position-limiting member and the blocking member are provided at two opposite ends of the connecting members respectively and abut against two opposite ends of the coupling base respectively. The assembly structure allows the handle to be easily and securely mounted and positioned on the tubular body.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Technical Field

The present invention relates to a handle mounting structure. More particularly, the invention relates to an assembly structure of a tubular body and a handle, the assembly structure allows the handle to be rapidly and securely mounted on the tubular body.

2. Description of Related Art

Walking sticks are used as an aid to walking. Referring toFIG. 1A, the conventional walking stick1has a tubular body2and a handle3mounted on an upper portion of the tubular body2so that a user can grip the handle3while using the walking stick1. The handle3is connected to the tubular body2via a clamping base4. The clamping base4is a generally C-shaped mounting ring and has an opening5. Each of the two sides of the opening5is extended with a side plate6, and each side plate6is provided with a hole (not shown). The clamping base4is mounted around the tubular body2, with a bolt7passed through the holes of the two side plates6and connected to a nut8in order to lock the two side plates6tightly together, thereby clamping the clamping base4on the tubular body2. However, the way the handle3is connected to the tubular body2(i.e., using the bolt7and the nut8to tighten the clamping base4around the tubular body2) is not secure and may fail to fix the handle3in position. Moreover, the fact that the holes must be drilled through the clamping base4makes it difficult to manufacture or machine the clamping base4.

FIG. 1Bshows another conventional walking stick1′, which also has a tubular body2and a handle3. The tubular body2is formed by inserting an inner tube21into an outer tube22and allows adjustment in length in a telescoping manner. The handle3is mounted on the tubular body2through a mounting member9, and is secured with a rivet91. Due to the rivet91, the handle3of the walking stick1′ cannot be adjusted in position. Furthermore, the portion of the rivet91that extends into the tubular body2interferes with and limits the telescoping movement between the inner tube21and the outer tube22.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary objective of the present invention is to provide an assembly structure of a tubular body and a handle in which the handle is easily and securely mounted on the tubular body and whose components are structurally simple and can be manufactured with ease.

Another objective of the present invention is to provide an assembly structure of a tubular body and a handle in which the handle can be adjusted in terms of its mounting position on the tubular body.

Yet another objective of the present invention is to provide an assembly structure of a tubular body and a handle in which the handle can be adjusted in terms of its mounting angle with respect to the tubular body.

To achieve the foregoing objectives, the present invention provides an assembly structure of a tubular body and a handle, wherein the assembly structure includes:

the tubular body, whose outer peripheral wall has two corresponding sides each provided with at least one insertion hole;

two connecting members each having a wall surface formed as a concave surface, wherein the concave surface of each of the two connecting members is protrudingly provided with a positioning post, the two concave surfaces of the two connecting members are mounted on the outer periphery of the tubular body, the two positioning posts are inserted into the two insertion holes of the tubular body respectively, and each of the two connecting members further has a first end and a second end;

the handle, which is connected to a coupling base, the coupling base has a first end and a second end and is provided with a mounting hole, the mounting hole is provided in the coupling base and opens at the two ends of the coupling base, the coupling base is mounted around the two connecting members, and the two connecting members are restricted in the mounting hole;

a position-limiting member formed as a hollow cylinder, the position-limiting member has a through hole that opens at two ends of the position-limiting member, and the position-limiting member is connected to the first ends of the two connecting members and has one end abutting against the first end of the coupling base; and a blocking member provided at the second ends of the two connecting members, wherein the blocking member abuts against the second end of the coupling base.

The two connecting members are connected to and positioned on the tubular body. The handle is mounted on the two connecting members via the coupling base, the position-limiting member and the blocking member abut against two ends of the coupling base respectively to keep the handle securely mounted on the tubular body.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring toFIG. 2toFIG. 5, the assembly structure100of a tubular body and a handle according to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a tubular body10, two connecting members20, a handle30, a position-limiting member40, and a blocking member50.

The tubular body10in the present invention may be the tubular body of a walking stick, a tube of a bicycle, or other similar tubes. The structure of the invention is intended to facilitate the mounting of the handle30onto a tubular body, such as mounting a handle onto a walking stick or mounting a bicycle handgrip onto a bicycle tube. As shown inFIG. 2, the tubular body10in this embodiment is the tubular body of a walking stick by way of example, and the tubular body is provided with a head portion12.

The peripheral wall of the tubular body10is provided with a pair of insertion holes13. The two insertion holes13correspond to each other and are located on two sides of the tubular body respectively. In this embodiment, the insertion holes13preferably have a rectangular or polygonal shape.

The two connecting members20have identical structures. Each connecting member20is a generally semicircular arc-shaped plate and has a wall surface curved inward to form a semicircular, concave surface21. The concave surface21of each connecting member20is protrudingly provided with a positioning post22. Each the positioning post22correspond in shape to the insertion hole13and has a rectangular or polygonal shape. The two connecting members20are mounted on the outer periphery of the tubular body10in an opposing manner such that the concave surfaces21are in contact with the peripheral surface of the tubular body10. The two positioning posts22are inserted into the two insertion holes13of the tubular body10respectively. Each of the two connecting members20has two ends, namely a first end20aand a second end20b. The outer periphery of the first end20aof each connecting member20is provided with an external thread23. The second end20bof each connecting member20extends radially outward to form a blocking ledge24, which has a larger outer diameter than the connecting member20. The two blocking ledges24of the two connecting members20form the blocking member50. In this embodiment, each blocking ledge24has a semicircular outer edge, so the blocking member50formed by the two blocking ledges24has a circular configuration.

The handle30is fixedly or pivotally connected to a coupling base32in order to be mounted on the tubular body via the coupling base32. The present invention has no limitation on the configuration of the handle or how the handle is connected to the coupling base. The configuration of the handle and the way in which the handle is connected to the coupling base are not the subject matter of the invention. The handle30in this embodiment is pivotally connected to a pair of lugs on one side of the coupling base32via a pivot shaft31. The coupling base32has a first end32a, a second end32b, and a mounting hole321that passes through the coupling base32and opens at the first end32aand the second end32b. As shown inFIG. 4, the second end32bof the coupling base32is concavely formed with a groove322. The groove322in this embodiment is circular in order to match the circular blocking member50formed by the two blocking ledges24. The groove322is in communication with the mounting hole321, and the width of the groove322is greater than the diameter of the mounting hole321such that a blocking shoulder323is formed between the groove322and the mounting hole321. The coupling base32is mounted around the outer peripheries of the two connecting members20such that the two connecting members20are received in the mounting hole321of the coupling base32, are restricted and limited by the wall of the mounting hole321, and therefore stay mounted around the tubular body10. The first ends20aof the two connecting members20are exposed from the mounting hole321and exposed out of the coupling base32, whereas the blocking member50, which is formed by the blocking ledges24at the second ends20bof the two connecting members20, is coupled to the groove322and abuts against the blocking shoulder323to block the second end32bof the coupling base32. It is understood that the blocking member50can block the second end of the coupling base32even if the coupling base is not provided with the groove322.

The position-limiting member40is a hollow cylinder and has a through hole41that extends along the axial direction of the position-limiting member40. The wall of the through hole41is provided with an internal thread42. The position-limiting member in this embodiment is a nut. The position-limiting member40is mounted around the tubular body10(i.e., the tubular body10is passed through the through hole41of the position-limiting member40), is connected to the first ends20aof the two connecting members20, with the internal thread42threadedly connected with the external threads23at the first ends20aof the two connecting members20, and has one end abutting against the first end32aof the coupling base32. Thus, the coupling base32is blocked by the position-limiting member40and the blocking member50at two ends respectively and is hence retained in place. The other end (hereinafter referred to as the second end) of the position-limiting member40is connected with a flexible sealing member43. The second end of the position-limiting member40forms a flange411that extends inward from the periphery of the through hole41. The outer periphery of the flexible sealing member43is circumferentially provided with an annular groove431. The flange411of the position-limiting member40is fitted in the annular groove431of the flexible sealing member43. The flexible sealing member43has a through bore432at the center to allow passage of the tubular body10. The flexible sealing member43serves to seal the gap between the position-limiting member40and the tubular body10.

The foregoing assembly structure100of the tubular body and the handle is assembled as follows. The two connecting members20are mounted to encircle the tubular body10, with the two positioning posts22on the two connecting members20inserted respectively into the two corresponding insertion holes13of the tubular body10to position the two connecting members20on the tubular body10. After that, the coupling base32is mounted around the two connecting members20(i.e., the two connecting members20are inserted through the mounting hole321of the coupling base32) to prevent the two connecting members20from separating from the tubular body. The coupling base32itself is mounted securely and is positioned on the tubular body10thanks to the blocking member50and the position-limiting member40, which block and limit the coupling base32at two ends respectively. Thus, the assembly structure100makes it possible to mount and position the handle30firmly on the tubular body10of a walking stick or the like and to thereby overcome the aforesaid drawback of the conventional walking stick1, i.e., tightening the clamping base4around the tubular body2of the walking stick with the bolt7and the nut8may fail to position the clamping base4, and hence the handle3, securely on the tubular body2. The present invention is indeed capable of mounting the handle30more securely than with the prior art and features structurally simple components, easy assembly, and easy manufacture (simply considering the fact that the drilling operation conventionally required for the clamping base4is no longer needed).

Referring toFIG. 6, the tubular body10in this embodiment is formed by an outer tube10aand an inner tube10binside the outer tube10aand can be extended and contracted in a telescoping manner. A fastener15and an elastic member16are mounted on the inner tube10b. The fastener15extends through a hole17of the inner tube. The elastic member16pushes the fastener15elastically outward in order for the fastener15to extend through one of a plurality of fastening holes18of the outer tube10a. The length of the tubular body10can be adjusted by fastening the fastener15to the fastening hole18at a desired position.

The tubular body10can be adjusted in length in a telescoping manner because the structure of the present invention does not have any component that extends into the outer tube10aand interferes with or limits the movement of the inner tube10bwithin the outer tube10a.

FIG. 7toFIG. 9show the assembly structure100′ of a tubular body and a handle according to the second preferred embodiment of the present invention. The major components and the assembly method of the second embodiment are generally the same as those of the first embodiment, and the same components in these two embodiments are indicated by the same reference numeral in the drawings. The differences between the second embodiment and the first embodiment are as follows:

The outer peripheral wall of the tubular body10′ is provided with a plurality of insertion holes13′ that are arranged on two sides of the tubular body10′ along the axial direction of the tubular body10′. The two positioning posts22of the two connecting members20′ can be selectively and respectively inserted into any corresponding pair of the insertion holes13′ in order to change and adjust the position at which the handle30is mounted on the tubular body10′.

In addition, the groove322′ of the coupling base32′ is shaped as a regular polygon, such as a quadrilateral, a pentagon, a hexagon, and so on. The groove322′ in this embodiment is a regular hexagon. When the two connecting members20′ are put together, the blocking member50′ formed by the blocking ledges24′ also has a regular polygonal configuration that matches the configuration of the groove322′. The blocking ledge24′ of each connecting member20′ has a multi-sided outer periphery consisting of two long sides and two short sides, wherein the two long sides are connected to each other and are flanked by the two short sides respectively, in order for the two blocking ledges24′ to jointly form the regular hexagonal blocking member50′. Once the coupling base32′ is mounted around the two connecting member20′, the hexagonal blocking member50′ is fitted in the hexagonal groove322′ as shown inFIG. 9. The polygonal blocking member50′ and the polygonal groove322′ work together to position the blocking member and the handle30at a specific angular position. The handle30and the coupling base32′, therefore, can be mounted selectively at different angular positions on the tubular body10′, such as the solid-line position and the imaginary dotted-line position inFIG. 9. Since the blocking member50′ and the groove322′ are hexagonal, there are six angular positions to choose from. As long as the blocking member50′ is fitted in the groove322′, the coupling base32′ is kept from rotating with respect to the connecting members20′.

FIG. 10toFIG. 12show the assembly structure100″ of a tubular body and a handle according to the third preferred embodiment of the present invention. The major components and the assembly method of the third embodiment are generally the same as those of the first embodiment and therefore will not be described repeatedly. The same components in these two embodiments are indicated by the same reference numeral in the drawings. The differences between the third embodiment and the first embodiment are as follows:

The outer periphery of the first end20aof each connecting member20″ is provided with an external thread23″, and so is the outer periphery of the second end20bof each connecting member20″. Both the first ends20aand the second ends20bof the two connecting members20″ are exposed from the mounting hole321and exposed out of the coupling base32.

Moreover, the blocking member50″ is a mounting tube and defines therein a through hole51that extends along the axial direction of the blocking member50″. The wall of the through hole51is provided with an internal thread52, the blocking member in this embodiment is also a nut. The blocking member50″ is mounted around the second ends20bof the two connecting members20″ (i.e., the second ends20bare inserted into the through hole51of the blocking member50″), with the internal thread52threadedly connected with the external threads23″ at the second ends20bof the two connecting members20″, and has one end abutting against the second end32bof the coupling base32. Thus, the coupling base32is blocked by the position-limiting member40and the blocking member50″ at two ends respectively and is hence retained in place. The other end (hereinafter referred to as the second end) of the blocking member50″ is connected with another flexible sealing member53. The second end of the locking member50″ forms a flange511that extends inward from the periphery of the through hole51. The outer periphery of the flexible sealing member53is circumferentially provided with an annular groove531. The flange511of the blocking member50″ is fitted in the annular groove531of the sealing member53. The sealing member53has a through bore532at the center to allow passage of the tubular body10. The flexible sealing member53serves to seal the gap between the blocking member50″ and the tubular body10.

The assembly structure disclosed herein of a tubular body and a handle allows the handle to be connected to the tubular body and secured in position simply by mounting the two connecting members, the coupling base, the position-limiting member, and the blocking member onto the tubular body. The assembly structure can be easily assembled, has its components securely positioned, and no drilling operation is required for any components. In addition, the embodiments described above allow the handle to be adjusted in terms of its position on the tubular body and be fixed at different angular positions.

The foregoing embodiments are provided for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to be restrictive of the scope of the present invention. As the assembly structure of a tubular body and a handle of the invention is the first of its kind and involves an inventive step, a patent application for the invention is hereby filed according to law.