LIFT DEVICE

A lift device includes a main body unit including a first board and two racks and a lifting unit. The two racks are separately and parallely configured on the first board in a first direction. The lifting unit includes a lifting board disposed on and parallel to the first board, and being slidable with respect to the first board in the first direction; and two abutting members disposed on the lifting board between the two blocks and each having an abutting block and a first elastic member, wherein the abutting block is slidable with respect to the lifting board in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and the first elastic member is disposed on the lifting board to abut against one end of the abutting block for enabling the other end of the abutting block to abut against the protruding portions.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The following illustrative embodiments are provided to illustrate the disclosure of the present invention, these and other advantages and effects can be understood by persons skilled in the art after reading the disclosure of this specification. Note that the structures, proportions, sizes depicted in the accompanying figures, as well as the expressions “upper” “end” “abutting” “lifting” “parallel” “sliding” “smoothing” “first” and “second” described merely serve to illustrate the disclosure of the specification to allow for comprehensive reading without a limitation to the implementation or applications of the present invention, and does not constitute any substantial technical meaning.

FIGS. 2A to 2Care schematic views showing the lift device, in whichFIGS. 2A and 2Care 3D views of the lift device andFIG. 2Bis a front view of the lift device.FIGS. 2A and 2Billustrate the lifting mode of the lift device andFIG. 2Cdepicts the rotating mode of the lift device according to the present invention. As illustrated in the Figures, the lift device of the present invention includes a main body unit2, a lifting unit3, a rotating unit4and a base5, wherein the lifting unit3includes two abutting members32and the rotating unit4has a connecting rod42.

The lift device of the invention mainly functions in two modes, namely, a lifting mode and a rotating mode (or non-lifting mode). In the lifting mode shown inFIGS. 2A and 2B, the abutting members32are movable, the lifting unit3and the rotating unit4can be lifted with respect to the main body unit2, and the rotating unit4cannot rotate with respect to the lifting unit3.

In the rotating mode shown inFIG. 2C, the abutting members32are not movable, the rotating unit4and the connecting rod42are rotatable with respect to the lifting unit3, and the lifting unit3and the rotating unit4cannot be lifted with respect to the main body unit2.

The main body unit2includes a first board21and two racks22. The two racks22are separately and parallelly configured on the first board21in a first direction, wherein one of the two racks has a first side and the other of the two racks has a second side opposing to the first side, and wherein a plurality of protruding portions221are disposed on each of the first side and the second side of the two racks22.

The lifting unit3includes a lifting board31, two abutting members32, a blocking member33and a lifting switch member34. The lifting board31is in a T shape and disposed on the first board21and parallel to the first board21, and is slidable with respect to the first board21at the first direction. The two abutting members32are disposed on the lifting board31between the two racks22, and include two abutting blocks321and two first elastic members322. The abutting blocks321can slide with respect to the lifting board31in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. In other preferred embodiments, the abutting blocks321can slide with respect to the lifting board31in a direction, which is not perpendicular to (intersecting) the first direction. The two first elastic members322are disposed on the lifting board31to abut against the other ends of the abutting blocks321. Due to elasticity, the first elastic members322enable one end of the two abutting blocks321to abut against the protruding portions221of the racks22under a normal condition.

Further, a supporting component36is disposed on the lifting board31and has two protruding columns361respectively extending toward different sides and being substantially perpendicular to the first direction. The first elastic members322respectively sleeve on the protruding columns361and abut against the supporting component36. Each abutting block321has a first slot3210substantially perpendicular to the first direction, and a screw323is fastened in the first slot3210, such that the abutting blocks321can slide in the second direction. In this preferred embodiment, the first elastic members322are, but not limited to, two compressed springs.

Specifically, each protruding portion221includes an ascending surface221aconnected to a descending surface221b,and the descending surface221bis more inclined than the ascending surface221awith respect to the first direction.

In the lifting device of this preferred embodiment, the blocking member33is disposed on the lifting board31and has two stopping blocks331and two second elastic members332. The stopping blocks331can slide with respect to the lifting board31in the first direction. Two second slots3310extending and being substantially parallel to the first direction are formed the two stopping blocks331, and two screws333are fastened in the second slots3310, thereby enabling the stopping blocks331to slide in the first direction. In this preferred embodiment, the two second elastic members322are, but not limited to, compressed springs, respectively accommodated in the slots3310. One end of each second elastic member332is disposed on the lifting board31and abuts against the screw333respectively, and the other end of each second elastic member332abuts against the stopping block331. Therefore, under the normal condition, the second elastic members332enable the stopping blocks331to depart from the abutting members32.

Moreover, the stopping blocks331respectively have two first slanting surfaces3311at the upper end, and two stopping portions3312at the lower end. In a lifting mode shown inFIG. 2B, the stopping blocks331depart from the abutting members32, and the two stopping portions3312do not abut against the inner sides of the two abutting blocks321. In a rotating mode shown inFIG. 2C, the stopping blocks331insert between the abutting blocks32and supporting component36, and the two stopping portions3312respectively abut against the inner sides of the abutting blocks321, thereby preventing the abutting blocks321from sliding in the first direction and departing from the racks22. In other words, the stopping blocks331can slide upward and downward to switch between the lifting mode and the rotating mode as required.

A lifting switch member34is disposed on the lifting board31and slidable in the second direction with respect to the lifting board. A bottom end of the lifting switch member34has two protrusions341with a second slanting surface3411corresponding to first slanting surface3311of the stopping block331. The two protrusions341are configured to propel the stopping block331to approach and abut against the two abutting members321. In the lifting mode of the lift device shown inFIG. 2B, the lifting switch member34is propelled to the rightmost side; and in the rotating mode of the lift device shown inFIG. 2C, the lifting switch member34is propelled to the leftmost side. In other words, the lifting switch member34can be propelled to the right or left side, so as to switch between the lifting mode and the rotating mode.

The rotating unit4includes a support member41, a connecting rod42and a securing assembly43having four coupling portions431, wherein the support member41is connected to the lifting board31by means of the connecting rod42. The rotating unit4and the connecting rod42can rotate with respect to the lifting unit3. The connecting rod42has a middle section, a small section and a large section disposed orderly from the top to the bottom thereof, wherein the small section, the middle section and the large section respectively have a small, medium and large diameters.

The lift device operates in the lifting mode and the rotating mode as described below.

In the lifting mode shown inFIGS. 2A and 2B, the lifting switch member34is pushed to the rightmost side. At this time, the second elastic members332push the stopping blocks331upward for enabling the first slanting surfaces3311to push the lifting switch member34to the rightmost side. Meanwhile, the protrusions341of the lifting switch member34abut against the small section of the connecting rod42, and the top and bottom of the protrusions341are respectively blocked by the middle section and the large section so as to buckle up the connecting rod42. Thus, the rotating unit4is disabled from being lifted upward and downward with respect to the lifting unit3. Furthermore, the two protrusions411formed on a bottom end of the rotating unit4are coupled to the two recessed portions35that are formed on a top end of the lifting unit3. Thus, the lifting unit3and the rotating unit4are connected together, and the rotating unit4is disabled from rotating with respect to the lifting unit3.

On the other hand, referring toFIG. 2B, the protrusions341are disposed in a right sided position at a right end of the first slanting surfaces3311, such that the stopping blocks331are pushed upward by the second elastic members332and depart from the abutting members32. The stopping portions3312are kept from abutting against the inner sides of the two abutting blocks321. Now, the stopping blocks331can no longer limit the abutting blocks321. Thus, the abutting blocks321are able to slide along the racks22if operated. Subsequently, the support members41and the lifting board31can slide upward or downward with respect to the first board21.

That is, since the abutting blocks321abut against the protruding portions221of the racks22by the first elastic members322, the abutting blocks321can move along with the protruding portions221of the racks22when an external force is applied on the lifting board31to lift the lifting board31upward or downward to deform the first elastic members322. When the abutting blocks321traverse across at least one of the protruding portions221and the external force is released, the abutting blocks321and the lifting board31remain at the required height. The friction and vertical dividing force generated by the first elastic members322withhold the weight of the lifting unit3and the rotating unit4to remain the abutting blocks321at a recess between the protruding portions221at a certain height.

Further, the descending surfaces221bis more inclined than the ascending surfaces221aof the lift device with respect to the first direction. Therefore, it is relatively easy to lift up the support members41and the lifting board31. Also, the weight of the support members and the lifting board31are easily supported by the design.

Moreover, in the rotating mode shown inFIG. 2C, the lifting switch34is pushed to the leftmost side by an external force, and the protrusions341slide along the right end of the first slanting surfaces3311to the left end to push the stopping blocks331downward completely by the coordination of second slating surfaces3411and first slanting surfaces3311. The stopping blocks331are enabled to draw near the abutting members32. The two blocking portions3312respectively abut against the inner sides of the two abutting blocks321to block and immobilize the abutting blocks321so as to keep them from being lifted up and down. At this time, the protrusions341of the lifting switch34do not buckle up the connecting rod42, and the rotating unit4is pulled upward to be free from being restricted by the recessed portion35. In other words, the rotating unit4detaches from the lifting unit3and can rotate with respect to the lifting unit3along with the connecting rod42. The connecting rod42has a large section formed thereon which cannot pass through a hole disposed in the middle section of the lifting unit3, for ensuring that the connecting rod42would not completely detach from the lifting unit3. The rotating unit4can be connected downward to the lifting unit3upon rotating to a certain angle, such as 180 degrees.

ReferringFIGS. 2A to 2CandFIG. 3, the rotating unit4further includes a display rack44and a securing assembly43for efficiently assembling or dismantling the display rack44from the securing assembly43, and the display rack44has an accommodating recess440for accommodating a display unit (of a tablet computer, liquid crystal screen or a Smart phone).

The base5of the lifting device of the invention includes a second board51and a third board52. A first side of the second board51is pivotally connected to a bottom side of the first board21by two hinges511. One side the third board52is pivotally connected to a second side of the second board51by two hinges (no shown), wherein the second side of second board51is opposing to which the first board21is pivotally connected to, thereby forming a display support base.

As shown inFIGS. 4A to 4C, the advantage of using the second and third boards51,52is that, by altering the angle between the combined first and second boards21,51and the angle between the combined second and third boards51,52, the general gravity center of all components always projects onto the third board52. Thus, the lift device is stably disposed at different angles on a common plane surface, such as a desk, and also the user is allowed to adjust the display unit to an optimal and desired viewing angle and height. Note that the foregoing described first direction may alter depending on the pivotal angles of the base5and not always be perpendicular to the desk on which it is placed upon, but the base5will still be parallel to the first board21.

Accordingly, the lift device of the invention is not only applicable for supporting tablet computers, LCD screens or Smart phones and easily manipulated by means of the constituents of racks and elastic members, but also allows for adjustments of rotating and lifting angles with greater applicability and practicality.