A three-fingered holder having the ability to selectively and firmly grasp a variety of different objects. The holder comprises a housing, three fingers partially sheathed within and partially extending from the housing, and a spring-biased clamping mechanism contained within the housing. The mechanism has an open position wherein the fingertips of the fingers are substantially separated, but is biased toward a closed position wherein the fingertips are positioned in proximity to one another, in order to firmly grasp an object therebetween. The mechanism is converted to the open position by pressing down upon a lever. Release of the lever allows the spring-biased mechanism to return toward the closed position and to thereby urge the fingers towards one another. The fingertips each terminate in a soft rubber contact plate, which prevents even delicate objects from becoming damaged while being held by the holder.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a holder, and in particular it relates to a three-fingered holder having the ability to firmly grasp a variety of different objects.

2. Description of the Related Art

There are a great many occasions in which it is necessary or useful for a user to immobilize a variety of different objects. In particular, it may be necessary for the user to firmly immobilize an object prior to performing detailed work upon the object. Often, the user will attempt to immobilize the object with one hand while attempting to  manipulate the object with the other hand. This obviously may limit the extent to which the user may easily manipulate the object. In addition, excessive handling of a delicate object can easily lead to damage to that object. Accordingly, there is a need for a holder capable of selectively immobilizing a variety of different objects, in order that the user may use both hands to manipulate the object.

A variety of holders are available for selectively holding different items. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,559,935 to Gardner appears to show a holder for an object of art, comprising a stand with an adjustable pair of cupped holder assemblies. Additionally, U.S. Pat. No. 1,720,115 to Barnes appears to show a fruit holder comprised of a series of spring biased arms. Furthermore, U.S. Pat. No. 3,848,564 to Kull appears to show a holder for grasping and rotating an egg during coloring.

None of these devices appears to show a holder having three fingers, wherein two of the fingers are opposable fingers, said holder also having a mechanism for selectively bringing the fingers together in order that they may firmly grasp and thereby immobilize a variety of different objects. While these devices may be suitable for the particular purpose employed, or for general use, they would not be as suitable for the purposes of the present invention as disclosed hereafter.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the invention to provide a holder capable of selectively immobilizing a variety of different objects. Accordingly, the holder has three fingers and a clamping mechanism capable of selectively moving the fingers closer to one another, thereby providing a holder capable of selectively immobilizing a variety of different objects.

It is another object of the invention to provide a holder wherein the fingers are ideally situated for firmly grasping an object. Accordingly, the holder has a housing having three fingers extending partially therefrom. Two of the fingers are located at diametrically opposed positions upon the housing, and the third finger is located between the opposable fingers, thereby providing a holder wherein the fingers are ideally situated for firmly grasping an object.

It is an additional object of the invention to provide a holder which will not damage fragile objects held within the fingers. Accordingly, each of the fingers terminates in a fingertip having a soft rubber contact plate, thereby preventing even delicate objects from becoming damaged while being grasped within the fingers.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a holder which immobilizes an object in order that a handicapped person with limited use of one or both hands may be capable of manipulating the object. Accordingly, the holder permits an individual with limited use of the hands to  easily immobilize a variety of objects for subsequent manipulation.

The invention is a three-fingered holder having the ability to selectively and firmly grasp a variety of different objects. The holder comprises a housing, three fingers partially sheathed within and partially extending from the housing, and a spring-biased clamping mechanism contained within the housing. The mechanism has an open position wherein the fingertips of the fingers are substantially separated, but is biased toward a closed position wherein the fingertips are positioned in proximity to one another, in order to firmly grasp an object therebetween. The mechanism is converted to the open position by pressing down upon a lever. Release of the lever allows the spring-biased mechanism to return toward the closed position and to thereby urge the fingers towards one another. The fingertips each terminate in a soft rubber contact plate, which prevents even delicate objects from becoming damaged while being held by the holder.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1illustrates a holder10, suitable for selectively grasping and immobilizing a variety of objects, having a substantially cylindrical housing14, and having two opposable fingers22and a central finger23. Each of the fingers22,23terminates in a fingertip25. The housing14has an interior14I which partially sheathes the fingers22,23. A substantial portion of each of the fingers22,23extends through the housing14prior to their termination in the fingertips25.

The housing14has a cylindrical body14D having a curved side14S, a base12and a top14T. The top14T has a peripheral edge14P, a center14C, and three sockets26extending fully therethrough. The sockets26are arranged around the center14C and in proximity to the peripheral edge14P. The fingers22,23extend through the sockets26. The housing14encloses a spring-loaded clamping mechanism40capable of selectively moving the fingers22,23towards one another, in order that an object may be held within the fingers22,23and immobilized, as will be described.

Two of the sockets26extend through the top14T of the housing14at positions which are diametrically opposed to one another. The opposable fingers22partially extend through these diametrically opposite sockets26, thereby enabling the holder10to firmly grasp an object in a manner analogous to the way in which an object is held between an  opposable thumb and another finger of a human hand. The central finger23extends through a socket26in proximity to the peripheral edge14P at a position which is between the sockets26from which the two opposable fingers22extend, but is located at substantially the same radial distance from the center14C as the opposable fingers22.

The fingers22,23taper towards the fingertips25, in order to be able to more precisely engage the object which is being held between them. Each of the fingertips25terminates in a substantially cylindrical rod27having threads around its periphery. Each of the fingertips25has a contact plate24selectively attached to said cylindrical rods27. In particular, each contact plate24has a centrally located internal bore having threads which match those of the rods27, thereby enabling the contact plates24to be selectively attached to the fingertips25by threading the threads of the rods27into the corresponding threads lining the internal bore of the contact plates24. The contact plates24are constructed from flexible, soft rubber so that the objects which are grasped by the fingers22,23are not damaged while being grasped.

The base12of the housing14extends outwardly from the cylindrical body14D, for imparting enhanced stability to the holder10and for making it less likely that the holder10will inadvertently tip over. The base12has a lower surface12L having a resilient rubber coating, thereby making it unlikely that the holder10will inadvertently slip upon a  support surface upon which the holder10has been situated. The base12has a plurality of circular openings16extending fully therethrough, so that the base12may be selectively anchored to the support surface by inserting a screw through each of the circular openings16, and by threading said screws into the support surface.

FIG. 2illustrates the clamping mechanism40in mechanical contact with each of the fingers22,23, for selectively bringing the fingertips25together in order to firmly grasp an object between the fingertips25. The mechanism40has an open position wherein the fingertips25are substantially separated from one another, and is biased toward a closed position wherein the fingertips25are positioned in proximity to one another. The mechanism40is capable of a plurality of partially closed positions wherein the fingertips25have been partially moved towards one another but are separated by an object located between the fingers22,23, such that the fingers22,23are then biased against said object. InFIG. 2, the mechanism40is in the open position.

The mechanism40comprises a selectively vertically movable circular yoke28contained within the housing14and a horizontal thumb lever20in mechanical contact with said yoke28. The holder10has an upper plate50located within the housing14below the top14T. The mechanism40further comprises two coiled springs30extending between the yoke28and the upper plate50, and four guide rods36, extending  between the base12and the upper plate50. The yoke28is slidably mounted upon the four rods36. The thumb lever20has a first end20A located within the housing14, and a second end20B which is external to the housing14. The first end20A terminates in a contact point20Z which may be selectively tightened against one of the vertical rods36in order to immobilize the clamping mechanism40at a particular position. The second end20B terminates in a rotatable thumbscrew18used for selectively tightening the contact point20Z of the lever20against one of the rods36. Accordingly, a threaded portion is preferably located on the lever20just adjacent to the contact point20Z for engaging internally threaded portions of the yoke28adjacent to said rod36. InFIG. 2, the lever20has been threaded into the yoke28and the point20Z has been tightened against one of the vertical rods36to hold the yoke28in position. The side14S of the housing14has a vertical lever slot34extending fully therethrough. The second end20B of the lever20extends outwardly from the housing14through the vertical lever slot34. When a user slides the lever20vertically downward within the slot34, this causes the yoke28to move vertically downward and thereby allows the fingers22,23to move apart, as will be described.

Turning momentarily toFIG. 4, the circular yoke28forms a ring having a central opening28Q, a top surface28T, and an inner surface28I. The yoke28is slidably mounted on the four vertical rods36. The yoke28is biased upward by the  springs30which extend between the top surface28T of the yoke28and the housing upper plate50.

Returning toFIG. 2, the fingers22,23are mounted to the base12with pivot brackets32. The fingers22,23are all mounted within the circular yoke28. The pivot brackets32allow the fingers22,23to pivot radially outward from the center14C of the housing14. The fingers22,23each have a double convex curve, having an upper curve51and a lower curve53. The upper curve51orients the contact plates24inward. The lower curve53acts as a ‘camming surface’ so that the angular positions of the fingers22,23are determined by the vertical position of the yoke28. The lower curve53has an outermost point53A, and has a rod indentation53I for allowing the rod36to extend partially therein. When the clamping mechanism40is in the open position, the yoke28is lowered, and the fingers22,23are allowed to spread apart.

InFIG. 3, the lever20has been released by the user, thereby allowing the mechanism40to return to the closed position. Here, the yoke28is in its uppermost position, and the inner surface28I of the yoke28has contacted the outermost point53A of the lower curve53and urged the contact plates24furthest inward. The springs30have biased the yoke28upward to this position. Since the springs30bias the yoke28upward, they bias the plates24against an object placed therebetween.

InFIG. 5, the clamping mechanism40is in one of the partially closed positions, and the fingers22,23are firmly grasping an egg44. The egg44is bracketed by the soft rubber contact plates24, which prevent even fragile objects such as the egg44from becoming damaged while being grasped by the holder10.

In use, a user spreads the fingers22,23apart by sliding the lever20vertically downward within the lever slot34. The user positions an object which is to be immobilized by the holder10between the fingertips25. The user then releases the lever20, thereby allowing the springs30to bias the yoke28vertically upward and to push the fingertips25towards one another. The thumbscrew18is then rotated in order to tighten the thumb lever20against one of the guide rods36, and to thereby immobilize the clamping mechanism40at that particular position. The use of three fingers allows the object to be held firmly while still allowing the object to be viewed or worked upon. When the holder10is no longer needed to hold the object, the thumbscrew18is rotated in an opposite direction, thereby freeing the lever anchoring rod36from the thumb lever20. Now, the lever20may be vertically lowered, thereby allowing the fingertips25to once again separate, thereby releasing the grasp of the holder10upon the object. The object may now be safely removed from the holder10.

In conclusion, herein is presented a three-fingered holder, capable of selectively holding a variety of different  objects. The invention is illustrated by example in the drawing figures, and throughout the written description. It should be understood that numerous variations are possible, while adhering to the inventive concept. Such variations are contemplated as being a part of the present invention.