Pivotally rotating positioner for a support illuminating multi-task device and the support illuminating multi-task device

A pivotally rotating positioner for a support illuminating multi-task device which can be applied to conductively connect a light rotating arm to a body in a fashion of pivotal rotations at variable angles. However, upon pivotally rotating, it is possible to compress the electrically conductive spring to prevent serious abrasions in the snapping recesses and the snapping bumps on the rotating arm case and the base housing. Moreover, by means of the elastic coercion between the electrically conductive spring and the electrically conductive pivotal axis assembly, it is possible to allow the electrical energy coming from the body to be smoothly provided to the light rotating arm via the pivotal axis and also enable a free rotation of 360 degrees of the light rotating arm with respect to the body while maintaining the illumination effect.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of priority to TW 103211858, filed on Jul. 3, 2014 with the Intellectual Property Office of the Republic of China, Taiwan, the entire specification of which is incorporated by reference herein.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to a pivotally rotating positioner; in particular, the present invention relates to a pivotally rotating positioner for a support illuminating multi-task device and the support illuminating multi-task device utilizing the pivotally rotating positioner.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Currently, mobile phones and tablet computers are more and more popular, and their functions are no longer limited to purely telephone calls, but already evolve from earlier simple communications into audio/video transmissions. Although this type of functions are widely accepted by numerous users, electric power consumptions thereof also increase significantly at the same time; therefore, people are now paying greater attention to the stand-by time of portable communication devices such as mobile phones and tablet computers, resulting in the emergence of new products like mobile power source etc. Besides, a user may watch a mobile phone or a tablet computer acting as a player for audio/video files for a quite long duration of time, typical hand-held operations may become pretty inconvenient, thus leading to elevated demands on products such as supportive frames or the like.

Especially, as such a sort of products like mobile power supply have been widely utilized, many vendors now further attempt to add more functions to the original mobile power supply. In addition, it is noticed that the functions of the tablet computer are gradually close to the counterparts found on notebook computers, but the input/output devices and connection ports being simplified, and the advantages may include the less complicated structure and more compact size than notebook computers, whereas the drawbacks may lie in inconvenience on input/output operations and probably insufficient connection ports upon connecting multiple external peripheral devices thereto.

However, once the mobile power supply and the supportive frame are integrated, in addition to an illuminating function, for example, thus together forming a multi-task device, it is inevitable to encounter the following problems. The supportive frame needs to firmly hold a device like a mobile phone or tablet computer in position at a tilted angle, and also allow to save space under a retraction state without protrusions from the frame, so the inventor of the present invention designed a prior product as shown inFIG. 1, wherein the mobile power supper may act as the body1, and a set of light rotating arms2are pivotally configured on the lateral side of the body1with the pivotal connection. The light rotating arm2comprises a pair of rotating arm cases20and a blocking part21installed on the pair of the rotating arm cases20, and a set of light source210exemplified as light emitting diodes is configured in the blocking part21.

In order to be applied as a supportive frame, it is possible to first pivotally rotate the body1with respect to the light rotating arm2so that the light rotating arm2can function as a base, then the body1can be upwardly tilted to form an angle relatively to the light rotating arm2to act as a rear support, and the lower edge of the mobile phone9or tablet computer can be blocked by the blocking part21in the front so as to be stably placed on the multi-task device thus enabling long-time movie watching or video phone communications. Contrarily, to retract the device, it needs only to rotate reversely the light rotating arm2to let the rotating arm cases return to the lateral side of the body1, as shown inFIG. 2, and then rotate the blocking part21to the front side of the body1thus allowing the multi-task device integrally to be in a retraction state of an approximately rectangular shape.

Furthermore, as shown inFIGS. 3 and 4, it is possible to install a standing board12on one side of the body1such that the body1can stand alone on the surface of a table, while the light rotating arm2can be rotated 180 degrees from the lateral side of the body1thus allowing the blocking part21to be away from the body1and starting the light source210in the blocking part21to act as a table lamp.

In order to enable the stable positioning of the rotating arm case20at such different angles with respect to the body1, a pivotally rotating positioning structure is required between them. Besides, in order to provide manufacture convenience and economical product costs, next refer conjunctively toFIGS. 5 and 6, wherein the rotating arm cases2and the base housing10of the body1are all fabricated by materials suitable for injection molding processes, e.g., plastics. Consequently, the simplest design for such a pivotally rotating positioning structure3is, on the two facing lateral sides of the aforementioned rotating arm case20and the base housing10, multiple semi-spherical, for example, protrusive grains30may be formed on the surface of one of the two sides, while multiple semi-spherical positioning recesses31may be formed on the relative surface of the other one such that, once located at a predetermined relative angle, the protrusive grains30may correspond to the positioning recesses31so as to naturally provide the positioning snapping function.

Unfortunately, after many repetitive pivotal rotation tests during the research and development stage, the protrusive grains30made by plastic materials may be rapidly worn off, thus being completely unable to position at the aforementioned specific angles.

Meanwhile, since the light source210is configured within the light rotating arm2and located on an end remote from the body1, electric energy needs to go to the light source210from the body1by way of the pivotal axis, but considering a user may pivotally rotate the light rotating arm2360 degrees with respect to the body1, it is hence required to allow electric energy to successfully reach at the light source210of the blocking part21through the pivotal rotation structure, and at the same time, the manufacture cost issue may restrict the utilization of the currently available electrically conductive pivotal axis assembly; also, to ensure the electrical conduction stability, complicated structures, e.g., electric brushes or carbon films etc., may not be applicable. As for direct hard-wire connections, it may not satisfy the requirement on electrical conduction of 360 degree rotations.

Accordingly, the major issues to be resolved by the present invention may concern how to allow the light rotating arm of the support illuminating multi-task device to pivotally rotate 360 degrees with respect to the body, to ensure the stable electric conduction under cost control conditions so that light source power may not be interrupted, and, in particular, to successfully maintain the stable positioning effect at specific locations after long-term utilizations of the electrically conductive pivotal axis assembly. Furthermore, it is possible to additionally integrate more connection ports and wireless communication modules on the support illuminating multi-task device so as to further improve the application flexibility of the support illuminating multi-task device thereby offering more effects.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An objective of the present invention is to provide a pivotally rotating positioner for a support illuminating multi-task device thereby ensuring stable electric power supplied to the light source in the light rotating arm when the light rotating arm rotates 360 degrees with respect to the body.

Another objective of the present invention is to provide a pivotally rotating positioner for a support illuminating multi-task device thereby ensuring the light rotating arm can be firmly snapped in position at a predetermined position when the light rotating arm pivotally rotates with respect to the body.

Yet another objective of the present invention is to provide a pivotally rotating positioner for a support illuminating multi-task device, which uses the light rotating arm as the base, the body as the rear support, and provides the position limitation feature by means of the blocking part on the light rotating arm so as to conjunctively constitute a stable support structure.

Still another objective of the present invention is to provide a support illuminating multi-task device, in which the light support thereof can rotate 360 degrees thereby allowing the light rotating arm to pivotally rotate freely without power supply issues.

Yet still another objective of the present invention is to provide a support illuminating multi-task device, in which the light support and the body can be firmly positioned at multiple predetermined pivotal rotation positions thereby enhancing application flexibility.

To achieve the above-said objectives, the present invention provides a pivotally rotating positioner for a support illuminating multi-task device, which is used to conductively connect a light rotating arm to a body in a fashion of pivotal rotations at variable angles, wherein the body comprises a base housing and a power supply assembly installed within the base housing, the base housing is configured with at least a pair of positioning through-holes; and the light rotating arm comprises a pair of rotating arm cases and a blocking part installed on the aforementioned pair of rotating arm cases, wherein the aforementioned pair of rotating arm cases are respectively configured with a penetrating part corresponding to one of the positioning through-holes, and the blocking part further includes a light source formed by a set of light emitting diodes, the pivotally rotating positioner comprising: a pair of electrically conductive pivotal axis assemblies, each of the aforementioned electrically conductive pivotal axis assembly respectively having two mutually opposite radial expansion position-limiting parts, and a radial contracting part located between the aforementioned radial expansion position-limiting parts, in each of the aforementioned conductive pivotal axis assembly the radial contracting part respectively penetrating correspondingly the aforementioned penetrating part and the aforementioned positioning through-hole, thereby limiting the farthest distance between the aforementioned base housing and the aforementioned rotating arm case by means of the aforementioned radial expansion position-limiting part such that the aforementioned rotating arm case can be combined to the aforementioned body in a fashion of pivotal rotations; a pair of electrically conductive springs, respectively sleeve installed on the aforementioned radial contracting part of the aforementioned electrically conductive pivotal axis assembly, and one end of the aforementioned electrically conductive spring being conductively abutted against one of the aforementioned radial expansion position-limiting part so as to provide an elastic push force to abut thereon such that the aforementioned base housing and the aforementioned rotating arm case can be elastically and tightly coerced with each other; two sets of snapping recesses and snapping bumps, respectively formed on the aforementioned base housing and the aforementioned rotating arm case thus allowing the aforementioned rotating arm case to be relatively positioned at at least two predetermined positions upon pivotally rotating relatively to the aforementioned base housing along the aforementioned electrically conductive pivotal axis assembly.

Further, a support illuminating multi-task device using the above-said pivotally rotating positioner comprises: a body, including a base housing and a power supply assembly installed within the base housing, with the base housing being configured with at least a pair of positioning through-holes; a light rotating arm conductively connected to the body in a fashion of pivotal rotations at variable angles, which further includes a pair of rotating arm cases and a blocking part installed on the aforementioned rotating arm case, wherein the aforementioned rotating arm cases are further respectively configured with a penetrating part corresponding to one of the aforementioned positioning through-holes, and the blocking part further includes a light source formed by a set of light emitting diodes; and a set of pivotally rotating positioners, comprising: a pair of electrically conductive pivotal axis assemblies, each of the aforementioned electrically conductive pivotal axis assembly respectively having two mutually opposite radial expansion position-limiting parts, and a radial contracting part located between the aforementioned radial expansion position-limiting parts, in the aforementioned conductive pivotal axis assembly the radial contracting part respectively penetrating correspondingly the aforementioned penetrating part and the aforementioned positioning through-hole, thereby limiting the farthest distance between the aforementioned base housing and the aforementioned rotating arm case by means of the aforementioned radial expansion position-limiting part such that the aforementioned rotating arm case can be combined to the aforementioned body in a fashion of pivotal rotations; a pair of electrically conductive springs, respectively sleeve installed on the aforementioned radial contracting part of the aforementioned electrically conductive pivotal axis assembly, and one end of the aforementioned electrically conductive spring being conductively abutted against one of the aforementioned radial expansion position-limiting part so as to provide an elastic push force to abut thereon such that the aforementioned base housing and the aforementioned rotating arm case can be elastically and tightly coerced with each other; and two sets of snapping recesses and snapping bumps, respectively formed on the aforementioned base housing and the aforementioned rotating arm case thus allowing the aforementioned rotating arm case to be relatively positioned at at least two predetermined positions upon pivotally rotating relatively to the aforementioned base housing along the aforementioned electrically conductive pivotal axis assembly.

By restricting the distance between the base housing and the rotating arm case with the electrically conductive pivotal axis assembly and using the elastic coercion force applied by the electrically conductive spring, it is possible, on one hand, to enable the relative snapping positioning when the base housing and the rotating arm case are located at the predetermined position, and also, upon the light rotating arm rotating with respect to the body, the retraction of the electrically conductive spring may provide the space for free rotations without serious abrasion problems between the snapping recesses and the snapping bumps. Meanwhile, on the other hand, it can ensure that the electrically conductive spring is not fixedly connected to the electrically conductive pivotal axis assembly thereby allowing the light rotating arm to pivotally rotate 360 degrees freely with respect to the body, and also guarantee that the electrically conductive spring can electrically contact the electrically conductive pivotal axis assembly in a sustained fashion such that the light rotating arm can securely provide electric power thus resolving all of the issues set forth hereinbefore. Moreover, the body may be additionally configured with connection ports, wireless communication modules or the like for further enhancing the application flexibility of the support multi-task device according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS

The aforementioned and other technical contents, aspects and effects in relation with the present invention can be clearly appreciated through the detailed descriptions concerning the preferred embodiments of the present invention in conjunction with the appended drawings; moreover, in each embodiment, the same components will be denoted with similar numbers.

Referring toFIGS. 7 and 8, certain structures demonstrated in the present embodiment are identical to the prior support illuminating multi-task previously developed by the applicant of the present invention, which essentially comprises a body4, a light rotating arm5conductively connected to the body in a fashion of pivotal rotations at variable angles, and a set of pivotally rotating positioner6.

Herein the body4, as the counterpart inFIG. 1, comprises a base housing40and a power supply assembly42configured as the rechargeable battery within the base housing, the base housing40has at least a pair of positioning through-holes400; the light rotating arm5includes a pair of rotating arm cases50and a blocking part51installed on the pair of the rotating arm cases50, wherein the pair of rotating arm cases50are further respectively configured with a penetrating part corresponding to the aforementioned positioning through-hole400, and the blocking part51further has a set of light source510exemplified as light emitting diodes. Without doubt, those skilled ones in the art may conveniently appreciate that the power supply assembly set forth as above may not be limited to the illustrated rechargeable battery, but the connection to conventional power grid capable of supplying sufficient electric energy may be also applicable to support the operations of the present invention, so the alternations and modifications thereof are obvious and do not impede implementations for the technical characteristics of the present invention.

Regarding to the pivotally rotating positioner6disclosed in the present invention, since its structure is configured as being two-by-two symmetric, only one side thereof is shown inFIGS. 8 and 9. The pivotally rotating positioner6according to the present invention further comprises a pair of electrically conductive pivotal axis assemblies60, a pair of electrically conductive springs61, and two sets of snapping recesses62and snapping bumps63, with each set of electrically conductive pivotal axis assembly60being exemplified as a metal screw bolt600as well as a corresponding metal screw nut602; since the external diameters of the metal screw nut602and the screw head604of the metal screw bolt600are both greater than the screw teeth606of the metal screw bolt600, in order to emphasize the structural feature of this portion, the metal screw nut602and the screw head604are herein respectively referred as the radial expansion position-limiting part, and comparatively, the screw teeth606between the metal screw nut602and the screw head604are referred as the radial contracting part.

With a view to combine the aforementioned rotating arm case50to the aforementioned base housing40in a pivotally rotating fashion, in the present example, the screw teeth606of the metal screw bolt600can sequentially penetrate through the electrically conductive spring61, the penetrating part on the rotating arm case50, then the positioning through-hole400on the base housing40and finally the metal screw nut602thus being screw jointed. The penetrating part in the present example also consists of the through-holes500respectively located on the two sides. Moreover, the distance between the screw head604and the metal screw nut602is deliberately selected to be greater than the sum of the thicknesses in the penetrating part of the rotating arm case50and the positioning through-hole400of the base housing40, and, using the distance between such two radial expansion position-limiting parts, it is possible to restrict the longest distance between the aforementioned base housing40and the aforementioned rotating arm case50thereby enabling the bi-directional squeezing deformation in the electrically conductive spring61by the screw head604and the rotating arm case50.

In addition, the elastic restoration force from the squeezed electrically conductive spring61can drive the rotating arm case50and the base housing40to mutually approach. In the present embodiment, on the aforementioned rotating arm case50there configure six semi-spherical bumps, for example, to act as the snapping bumps63, and such six semi-spherical bumps are radially symmetric with respect to the above-said through-hole500as the center, such that each two adjacent semi-spherical bumps mutually create an angle of 60 degrees, while multiple corresponding snapping recesses are formed on the base housing40. Once the snapping bumps63on the rotating arm case50happen to match the snapping recesses62on the base housing40, the rotating arm case50can be pressed by the electrically conductive spring61to closely abut against the base housing40so that the light rotating arm5and the body4can be relatively positioned and a predetermined relative positioning location exists in every 60 degrees. Of course, those skilled ones in the art can easily appreciate that the illustrated number in the present embodiment is by no means a restriction.

In addition, the aforementioned two electrically conductive springs61are respectively sleeve installed to the screw teeth606of the aforementioned metal screw bolt600, and one end thereof is forced to conductively abut against the screw head604while the other end provides the elastic push-abutting feature, so the aforementioned rotating arm case50can elastically abut against the aforementioned base housing40, and thus the electrically conductive spring61can be conductively connected to the metal screw bolt600firmly without being directly fixed onto the metal screw bolt600. Especially, in the present embodiment, referring conjunctively toFIG. 10, the illustrated electrically conductive spring61is a bended and extended stainless wire and extends out a conductive line segment610integrally along the rotating arm case50, while another spring part can similarly wound on the end remote from the electrically conductive pivotal axis assembly50, such that an identical conjunction structure of the electrical conductive pivotal axis assembly and the electrically conductive spring can be formed between the blocking part51and the rotating arm case50thereby allowing the blocking part51to freely rotate 360 degrees relatively to the rotating arm case50and transfer electric energy to the light source510in the blocking part51all the way from the body4.

Through the structure set forth hereinbefore, the pivotally rotating positioner according to the present invention applies a simple structure to provide, on one hand, an uninterrupted power supply effect while the pivotal axis can rotate 360 degrees, and also have mechanical buffering and coercion functions on the other hand, so that, when the rotating arm case rotates along the pivotal axis, the snapping bumps and the snapping recesses can mutually retract due to further compressions by the electrically conductive spring without abrasions therein between so as to ensure the durability and stability of the pivotally rotating positioner.

Surely, those skilled ones in the art can easily understand that the illustrated metal screw bolt and the metal screw nut in the previous embodiment are by no means limitations, the electrically conductive spring and the conductive line segment are not required to be integrally formed, and more functional modules may be added into the body. Hence, as shown inFIG. 11, in a second preferred embodiment according to the present invention, the body4′ can be further configured with multiple USB HUB modules43′ and connection ports44′ thereby allowing the support illuminating multi-task device of the present embodiment to be connected to a notebook computer, a tablet computer, a smart mobile phone and enable various transmission devices so that the problem of insufficient connection ports on a tablet computer or a mobile phone can be effectively resolved.

Furthermore, in the present embodiment, a rivet60′ is utilized to act as the electrically conductive pivotal axis assembly which similarly allows the electrically conductive spring61′ to be sleeve installed therein so as to achieve the power conduction of 360-degree pivotal rotation and also avoid abrasions in the snapping bumps.

In summary, the pivotally rotating positioner for a support illuminating multi-task device and the support illuminating multi-task device using the pivotally rotating positioner according to the present invention can be implemented with a simple structural design, achieve the effects of relative free rotations between the body and the light rotating arm as well as stable electric conductions, and also enable the body and the light rotating arm to be relatively positioned at multiple predetermined positions thereby improving the life span and the reliability of the pivotally rotating positioner. Besides, more compatible functions can be added in order to effectively assist devices such as a mobile phone and a tablet computer, thus expanding the application flexibility. It should be noticed that, however, the illustrations set forth as above simply describe the preferred embodiments of the present invention which are not to be construed as restrictions for the scope of the present invention; contrarily, all effectively equivalent changes and modifications conveniently made in accordance with the claims and specifications disclosed in the present invention are deemed to be encompassed by the scope of the present invention delineated in the following claims.