Telescopic adjuster

The telescopic adjuster includes a telescopic rod assembly, a driving unit, and a chain. The telescopic rod assembly includes a fixed tube and a driving tube, where the fixed tube is sleeved over the driving tube or the driving tube is sleeved over the fixed tube, the fixed tube is fixed to a housing, and the driving tube can extend or retract relative to the fixed tube. The driving unit includes a first motor and a first gear, where the first motor is configured to drive the first gear. The chain has one end wound around the first gear and the other end fixed to a top end of the driving tube. When the first motor drives the first gear to rotate, the first gear drives the chain to push or pull the driving tube so that the driving tube extends or retracts relative to the fixed tube.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This non-provisional application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a) to Patent Application No. 107114147 filed in Taiwan, R.O.C. on Apr. 26, 2018, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND

Technical Field

The application relates to an adjuster, and in particular, to a telescopic adjuster.

Related Art

A telescopic adjuster commonly used in the market mostly uses a mechanical electric telescopic rod, which uses a motor to drive a screw rod to rotate, to push a telescopic rod hidden inside to extend or contract.

A telescopic range of a general mechanical electric telescopic rod is limited by the length of a screw rod. A longer required telescopic distance indicates a longer matching screw rod. Therefore, in use, the electric telescopic rod needs to reserve a large space to accommodate the screw rod, resulting in a limitation of a volume design of the telescopic adjuster.

SUMMARY

The application provides a telescopic adjuster that can be disposed in a housing. The telescopic adjuster includes a telescopic rod assembly, a driving unit, and a chain. The telescopic rod assembly includes a fixed tube and a driving tube, where the fixed tube is sleeved over the driving tube or the driving tube is sleeved over the fixed tube, the fixed tube is fixed to the housing, and the driving tube can extend or retract relative to the fixed tube. The driving unit includes a first motor and a first gear, where the first motor is configured to drive the first gear to rotate. The chain has one end wound around the first gear and the other end fixed to a top end of the driving tube. When the first motor drives the first gear to rotate, the first gear drives the chain to push or pull the driving tube so that the driving tube extends or retracts relative to the fixed tube.

In an embodiment of the application, a tube diameter of the fixed tube is greater than that of the driving tube, so that the fixed tube is sleeved over the driving tube. A top end of the fixed tube has a first limiting portion, and a bottom end of the driving tube has a second limiting portion. When the driving tube extends relative to the fixed tube by a preset length, the first limiting portion abuts against the second limiting portion.

In an embodiment of the application, the driving tube further includes a hook disposed at the top end of the driving tube, and the chain is fixed to the hook.

In an embodiment of the application, the first gear is located below the telescopic rod assembly, and the housing has a guide block, where the guide block is located next to the first gear, and the chain is driven by the first gear and moves along a guide direction of the guide block.

In an embodiment of the application, the telescopic adjuster further includes a guide track, where the guide track is fixed in the housing and is stacked in the telescopic rod assembly, and the guide track is configured to guide a moving direction of the chain entering the telescopic rod assembly.

In an embodiment of the application, the telescopic rod assembly further includes at least one driven tube, where a tube diameter of the fixed tube is less than that of the driving tube and that of the at least one driven tube, the tube diameter of the driving tube is less than that of the at least one driven tube so that the driving tube is sleeved over the fixed tube, the at least one driven tube is movably sleeved over the driving tube, the at least one driven tube is connected to the driving tube, and the driving tube can drive the at least one driven tube to extend or retract relative to the fixed tube.

In an embodiment of the application, a top end of the at least one driven tube has a first limiting portion, a bottom end of the at least one driven tube has a second limiting portion, the bottom end of the driving tube has a third limiting portion, and a top end of the housing has a fourth limiting portion. When the driving tube extends relative to the at least one driven tube by a preset length, the third limiting portion abuts against the first limiting portion so that the driving tube can drive the at least one driven tube to extend relative to the fixed tube. When the at least one driven tube extends relative to the housing by another preset length, the second limiting portion abuts against the fourth limiting portion.

In an embodiment of the application, the housing has a guide block, and the driving unit further includes a second gear, where the second gear is located below the telescopic rod assembly, and the second gear is located between the guide block and the first gear. The first motor is configured to drive the second gear to rotate, and the second gear is configured to drive the chain leaving the first gear to pass through the guide block.

In an embodiment of the application, the housing has a guide block, and the driving unit further includes a second gear and a second motor, where the second gear is located below the telescopic rod assembly, and the second gear is located between the guide block and the first gear. The second motor is configured to drive the second gear to rotate, and the second gear is configured to drive the chain leaving the second gear to pass through the guide block.

In an embodiment of the application, the fixed tube further includes a guide track, where the guide track is configured to guide a moving direction of the chain entering the fixed tube.

Based on the foregoing descriptions, the chain in the telescopic adjuster of the application can be wound and accommodated on the first gear, the first motor of the driving unit can drive the first gear to rotate to push the chain to move, to push or pull the driving tube to move the telescopic rod assembly in a direction, and the driving tube is sleeved over the fixed tube, so that a volume of the telescopic adjuster can be greatly reduced.

To make the foregoing characteristics and advantages of the application more comprehensible, embodiments are further described below in detail with reference to accompanying drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1is a schematic diagram of a telescopic adjuster according to an embodiment of the application. Referring toFIG. 1, the telescopic adjuster100is disposed in a housing110, where the telescopic adjuster100includes a telescopic rod assembly120, a driving unit130, and a chain140. The telescopic rod assembly120includes a fixed tube122and a driving tube124, where the fixed tube is sleeved over the driving tube or the driving tube is sleeved over the fixed tube, the fixed tube122is fixed to the housing110, and the driving tube124can extend or retract relative to the fixed tube122. The driving unit130includes a first motor132and a first gear134, where the first motor132is configured to drive the first gear134. The chain140has one end144wound around the first gear134and the other end142fixed to a top end of the driving tube124.

When the first motor132drives the first gear134to rotate, the first gear134drives the chain140to push or pull the driving tube124so that the driving tube124extends or retracts relative to the fixed tube122.

In another embodiment, as shown inFIG. 1, the telescopic rod assembly120is disposed in the housing110in a manner as to partially protrude from the housing110. The fixed tube122and the driving tube124both are hollow tubes, a tube diameter of the fixed tube122is greater than that of the driving tube124, and therefore the fixed tube122can be sleeved over the driving tube124. A top end of the fixed tube122has a first limiting portion123, and a bottom end of the driving tube124has a second limiting portion125. When the driving tube124extends relative to the fixed tube122by a preset length, the first limiting portion123abuts against the second limiting portion125. The movable second limiting portion125is stopped by the fixed first limiting portion123, so that a length by which the driving tube124extends relative to the fixed tube122can be limited.

In another embodiment, as shown inFIG. 1, the driving tube124further includes a hook150, where the hook150is disposed at the top end of the driving tube124, and the chain140is fixed to the hook150. The first gear134is located below the telescopic rod assembly120, and the housing110has a guide block112, where the guide block112is located next to the first gear134, and the chain140is driven by the first gear134and moves along a guide direction of the guide block112. Specifically, the guide block112has an oblique surface112a, and the chain140is driven by the first gear134to move in a gap between the first gear134and the guide block112along an oblique direction provided by the oblique surface112aof the guide block112as a guide direction.

In addition, the telescopic adjuster100may further include a guide track160, where the guide track160is fixed in the housing110and is stacked in the driving tube124of the telescopic rod assembly120, and the guide track160is configured to guide a moving direction of the chain140entering the telescopic rod assembly120.

FIG. 2is a schematic diagram showing that a driving tube inFIG. 1extends relative to a fixed tube. Referring toFIG. 1andFIG. 2together, when the first motor132runs, the first motor132drives the first gear134to rotate clockwise, so that the chain140wound around the first gear134is released and moves along the guide direction of the guide block112. After the chain140that is to enter the telescopic rod assembly120enters the guide track160, the chain140is guided by the guide track160and is continuously stacked and pushes upward to push the driving tube124upward, so that the driving tube124extends relative to the fixed tube122.

It should be noted that when the second limiting portion125of the driving tube124abuts against the first limiting portion123of the fixed tube122, the movable second limiting portion125is limited by a stop of the fixed first limiting portion123, and therefore the driving tube124cannot extend relative to the fixed tube122by a distance beyond the preset length. Therefore, disposition positions of the first limiting portion123and the second limiting portion125can be correspondingly changed according to requirements, to determine a distance by which the driving tube124extends relative to the fixed tube122. In addition, an effect of limiting the length by which the driving tube124extends from the fixed tube122can be achieved by using the length of the chain140.

Otherwise, when the first motor132drives the first gear134to rotate counterclockwise, the chain140is driven by the first gear134and moves downward along the guide track160to be wound and retracted by the first gear134, and when the length of the chain140located in the telescopic rod assembly120becomes shorter, the chain140can pull the driving tube124, so that the driving tube124retracts relative to the fixed tube122.

As can be learned from the foregoing descriptions, for a conventional telescopic adjuster that uses a screw rod with a fixed length to push a telescopic rod, because the screw rod cannot be accommodated, a longer required length of the telescopic adjuster indicates a longer required screw rod, and a certain space needs to be provided for accommodating the screw rod, a volume of the conventional telescopic adjuster is limited by the length of the screw rod. Compared with the conventional telescopic adjuster, in a design of the telescopic adjuster100in this embodiment, a longer required length of the telescopic adjuster100indicates only an increase in the length of the chain140, where the chain140configured to push the driving tube124can be partially wound around the first gear134, and the driving tube is sleeved over the fixed tube, so that a volume of the telescopic adjuster100of this embodiment can be greatly reduced.

Moreover, the descriptions of the orientations of the foregoing clockwise, counterclockwise, top end, bottom end, and the like are merely used to illustrate the relative relationship between the components. It should be understood by a person skilled in the art that the descriptions of the orientations of the foregoing clockwise, counterclockwise, top end, bottom end, and the like vary with a standard change.

FIG. 3is a schematic diagram of a telescopic adjuster according to another embodiment of the application. This embodiment is substantially the same as the foregoing embodiment, and the same parts are not repeated. In the following description, same or similar components use the same or similar reference numerals.

This embodiment differs from the foregoing embodiment in that a telescopic rod assembly220of a telescopic adjuster200of this embodiment further includes at least one driven tube226. The at least one driven tube226, a fixed tube222, and a driving tube224are all hollow tubes. The fixed tube222is fixed to a housing210, a tube diameter of the fixed tube222is less than that of the driving tube224and that of the at least one driven tube226, and the tube diameter of the driving tube224is less than that of the at least one driven tube226, so that the driving tube224is sleeved over the fixed tube222, the at least one driven tube226is movably sleeved over the driving tube224, and the at least one driven tube226is connected to the driving tube224. Therefore, the driving tube224is sleeved between the at least one driven tube226and the fixed tube222. In this embodiment, the at least one driven tube226is illustrated by using one driven tube226.

A top end of the foregoing driven tube226has a first limiting portion223, a bottom end of the driven tube226has a second limiting portion225, a bottom end of the driving tube224has a third limiting portion227, and a top end of the housing210has a fourth limiting portion211.

In addition, the driving unit may further include a second gear234disposed in the housing210, where the second gear234is located below the telescopic rod assembly220, and the second gear234is located between the guide block112and the first gear134. The first motor132may drive both the first gear134and the second gear234to rotate in a same direction. When the first motor132drives the first gear134to rotate clockwise to release the chain140wound around the first gear134, the second gear234also rotates clockwise to drive the chain140leaving the first gear134so that the chain140passes through a gap between the guide block112and the second gear234.

In another embodiment, as shown inFIG. 3, the driving unit130may further include a second motor232, where the second motor232may run in synchronization with the first motor132and drive the second gear234to rotate, and the first gear134and the second gear234rotate in the same direction.

It should be noted that in the foregoing embodiment or in this embodiment, the number of gears and motors to be disposed can be determined according to actual needs. For example, in the foregoing embodiment, two gears and two motors may be disposed together. Alternatively, two gears may be disposed, but only one motor may be disposed, and the motor is connected to a gear around which the chain140is to be wound, and the other gear serves as a driven gear and is driven to rotate with the chain140being retracted or released.

As shown inFIG. 3, the fixed tube222, the driving tube224, and the driven tube226of the telescopic adjuster200are in a retracted state. The chain140has one end144wound around the first gear134and the other end142hung on the hook150. Therefore, one part of the chain140is fixed in the fixed tube222while the other part of the chain140is wound around the first gear134.

FIG. 4is a schematic diagram showing that a driving tube of the telescopic adjuster in the embodiment ofFIG. 3is pushed by a chain to move upward. When the first motor132and the second motor232rotate at the same time in the same direction, the first motor132drives the first gear134to rotate clockwise, and the second motor232also drives the second gear234to rotate clockwise. The chain140wound around the first gear134moves away from the first gear134with the rotation of the first gear134, and the second gear234drives the chain140leaving the first gear134. The chain140moves with the rotation of the second gear234and is guided by the guide block112to pass through the gap between the guide block112and the second gear234. The fixed tube222of this embodiment further includes a guide track capable of providing a function of the guide track160of the foregoing embodiment. The guide track of the fixed tube222may be formed integrally with the fixed tube222, or the guide track may be independently disposed in the fixed tube222, or a part of the fixed tube222through which the chain140passes may serve as the guide track, so that the fixed tube222can guide a moving direction of the chain140entering the fixed tube222. In other words, as the chain140is driven by the first gear134and the second gear234and is guided by the guide block112, the chain140leaving the first gear124can enter the fixed tube222and is continuously stacked and pushes upward in the fixed tube222under guidance of the fixed tube222, to further continuously push the driving tube224upward, so that the driving tube224extends relative to the fixed tube222and the driven tube226.

Referring toFIG. 5,FIG. 5is a schematic diagram showing that a third limiting portion of the driving tube of the telescopic adjuster inFIG. 4is in contact with a first limiting portion of a driven tube. When the driving tube224extends relative to the driven tube226by a preset length, the third limiting portion227abuts against the first limiting portion223. The movable third limiting portion227is stopped by the fixed first limiting portion223, so that the length by which the driving tube224extends relative to the driven tube226can be limited. Then, the first gear134and the second gear234still continue to drive the chain140to move, so that the driving tube224can drive the driven tube226to extend relative to the fixed tube222. As shown inFIG. 6,FIG. 6is a schematic diagram showing that the driving tube of the telescopic adjuster inFIG. 5drives the driven tube to move upward. When the driven tube226extends relative to the housing210by another preset length, the second limiting portion225abuts against the fourth limiting portion211. The movable second limiting portion225is stopped by the fourth limiting portion211, so that a length by which the driven tube226extends relative to the fixed tube222can be limited.

As can be learned from the foregoing description, the telescopic adjuster200can achieve at least two-stage extension or retraction through the mutually sleeved fixed tube222, driving tube224, and driven tube226, and a telescopic height may be limited by the following four factors: the length of the chain140, disposition manners of the fixed tube222, the driving tube224, and the driven tube226, the lengths of the fixed tube222, the driving tube224and the driven tube226, and disposition positions of limiting portions of the driving tube224and the driven tube226.

FIG. 7is a schematic diagram showing that a chain of the telescopic adjuster inFIG. 6retracts and drives the driving tube and the driven tube to move downward. Referring toFIG. 7, when the driving tube224and the driven tube226are retracted into the housing210of the telescopic adjuster200, the first motor132and the second motor232can be enabled to drive the first gear134and the second gear234to rotate counterclockwise, and the chain140is driven by the first gear134and the second gear234to move downward along the fixed tube22so that the chain140can be retracted by the first gear134. In addition, as the length of the chain140located in the telescopic rod assembly220becomes shorter, the chain140can pull the driving tube224so that the driving tube124and the driven tube226retract relative to the fixed tube122.

To sum up, in the telescopic adjuster of the application, the chain that can be wound and accommodated on the gear is used to drive the driving tube (and the driven tube) to extend and retract. The chain can use the motor of the driving unit to drive the gear to rotate, to further push the chain to move to push the driving tube (and the driven tube) upward, or the chain is retracted to pull the driving tube (and the driven tube) downward, and the fixed tube and the driving tube (and the driven tube) are mutually sleeved, so that the telescopic adjuster of the application can effectively save space in a height direction, thereby reducing a volume of the telescopic adjuster.

Although the application is disclosed above by using the embodiments, the embodiments are not intended to limit the application. Any person of ordinary skill in the art may certainly make some variations and modifications without departing from the spirit and the scope of the application. Therefore, the protection scope of the application shall be subject to the appended claims.