FIXING DEVICE FOR FIXING IN THE SPACE WITH GREAT FREEDOM OF CHOICE

Abstract: A supporting device for setting with a large freedom of choice in the space, of a first object, like a computer keyboard is described. It is characterized by the following: a cylindrical body (1, 2), comprising an upper cylindrical part (1) and a lower cylindrical part (2). An upper piston (22) is axially movable in the upper cylindrical part (1) and a lower piston (6) is axially movable in the lower cylindrical part (2). The upper cylindrical part (1) is connected to a hollow body (24, 25), parted into two hollow body parts (24 and 25), with a gap (32) between them. A ball body (27) is grasped by the hollow body (24, 25) and the upper piston (22), and a shaft (26) is fixed to the ball body (27), pointing out through the gap (32), carrying said first object (30). The lower cylindrical part (2) is connected to a house (12, 13), which comprises two body halves (33, 34) each being connected to its pin halve (9, 10), which extend downwards to a fastener (18) in said second object. A wedge element (8) is provided, which can be acted upon by the lower piston (6), and an expander means (20, 21) is provided, which when acted upon by an outer means part, like a handle (21), can either bring the upper piston (22) and the lower piston (6) apart, locking, so that the ball body (27) is locked by the upper piston (22) and the wedge element (8) forces the two body halves (33, 34) apart, locking, so that the pin halves (9, 10) are locked in the fastener (18), or releasably admits, that the upper piston (22) and the lower piston (6) approach each other.

Description: Fixing device for fixing in the space with great freedom of choice The present invention relates to a supporting device for setting with a large freedom of choice in the space, of a first object, like a computer keyboard, in relationship to a second, fixed object, like a table top. Within many areas, such as in offices, and for industrial scaffolds, exhibition devices and hospital equipment, there is a need for a supporting device of the art mentioned introductorily. The demands on such a supporting device is, that it admits a large freedom of choice in the space, that is to say a large freedom of movement within a large space angle.The time required for changing from released to locked position for the supporting device must be short.The change must be performed in one and the same moment of operation. Within offices with computer keyboards and/or tables for a mouse there is a demand, that these can be set individually in order to avoid working load injuries, as has been observed internationally as a quickly growing working environment problem with high costs for the society for missing working force and long term illness. The object of the present invention is to create a supporting device of the art mentioned introductorily, which meets the demands just mentioned, and is relatively simple in design. According to the invention, such a supporting device is primarily characterized by a cylindrical body comprising an upper cylindrical part and a lower cylindrical part, an upper piston being axially movable in the upper cylindrical part and a lower piston being axially movable in the lower cylindrical part, the upper cylindrical part being connected to a hollow body, parted into two hollow body parts, with a gap between them, preferably with a symmetry plane coinciding with the symmetry plane of the hollow body, a ball body being grasped by the hollow body and the upper piston, whilst a shaft is fixed to the ball body, pointing out through the gap, carrying said first object, the lower cylindrical part being connected to a casing, which comprises two body halves each being connected to its pin halve, which extend downwards to a fastener in said second object, a wedge element being provided, which can be acted upon by the lower piston, an expander means being provided, which when acted upon by an outer means part, like a handle, can either bring the upper piston and the lower piston apart, locking, so that the ball body is locked by the upper piston and the wedge element forces the two body halves apart, locking, so that the pin halves are locked in the fastener, or releasably admits, that the upper piston and the lower piston approach each other. In one preferred embodiment each of the body halves is provided with an axle pin, mounted in bearings, and inwardly directed bevelling, so that the body halves can be revolved in relationship to the lower cylindrical part in a plane, parallel to the axial symmetry axis, the wedge element also locking the body halves against the house, when the lower piston is in a locking posiiton. Suitably the pin halves have a common circular cross section. It is also advantageous, if the upper cylindrical part and the lower cylindrical part have a common axial symmetry axis. In one embodiment the upper cylindrical part and the lower cylindrical part have axial symmetry axles forming an angle differing from 0°, such as 90°. One suitable embodiment means, that the expander means is formed like a wedge, which is provided so cooperate by its outer surfaces with correponding surfaces at the upper resp the lower piston, the wedge being provided to be moved locking resp releasing by an outer means part, like a handle. In order to warrant, that the ball body is released with a certain inertia suitably a resilient ring, preferably in the form of a cylindrical ring made from an elastomer, between the upper piston and the ball body. Three examples of support devices according to the invention shall now be described more in detail, reference being made to the enclosed figures, of which: figure 1 shows a view of a first embodiment of a supporting device according to the invention, mostly towards an axial section, figure 2 shows a ball body with a hollow body halve figure 3 shows the lower part of the object in figure 1 with a trimming screw, figure 4 shows the setting of the supporting device, figure 5 shows a variant of the pin halves with body halves, figure 6 shows, in perspective, a locking ring, figure 7 shows a plan view of a locking ring in relationship to a centrum line, figure 8 shows a view of a section of a part of a somewhat modified embodiment of the supporting device figure 9 shows part of the object in figure 8 with the lower portion twisted 90°, and figure 10 shows a view of a section of a portion of a third embodiment of a supporting device according to the invention. In figure 1 there is shown, as an example, a first embodiment of the supporting device according to the invention. It comprises a cylindrical body, comprising an upper cylindrical part 1 and a lower cylindrical part 2. An upper piston 22 is axially movable in the upper cylindrical part and a lower piston 6 is axially movable in the lower cylindrical part. The upper cylindrical part is connected to a hollow body consisting of two hollow body halves 24 and 25 with a gap 32 in between. This gap shows a symmetry plane common with the symmetry plane of the hollow body. A ball body 27 is grasped by the hollow body 24,25 and the upper piston 22. Between the ball body and the upper piston, which is formed in the upper portion with a recess, there is a friction ring 23.The ball body has a shaft 26, pointing out through the gap 32, which shaft carries a first object 30, like a computer keyboard The upper and lower cylindrical parts 1 and 2 are kept together by a casing 5 The lower cylindrical part 2 is connected to a house 12 and 13, which house comprises two body halves 33 and 34, each of which is connected to its pin halve 9 and 10. These pin halves together form a rotational cylindrical pin, which extends downwardly into a fastener 18, which in turn is fixed to a second object, like a table top. The pin is provided with an O-ring 16, which holds the pin halves together when dismounted. A groove 17 gives room for a safety cotter, which enables the supporting device to be turned upside down without falling apart. An expander means in the form of a conical wedge 20 can be brought into positions after an axle, perpendicular to the longitudinal axle of the supporting device by turning of a handle 21. The upper piston 22 and the lower piston 6 are formed, at their ends, turned to the conical wedge 20, so that they are forced apart when the conical wedge 20 is brought to move in one direction and are admitted to appoach each other when the conical wedge 20 is brought to move in the other direction.Thus, by the expander means 20 and 21, either the upper piston 22 and the lower piston 6 can be locking brought apart, so that the ball body 27 is locked by the upper piston 22 and a wedge element 8 by the lower piston locking forces the two body halves 33 and 34 apart so that the pin halves 9 and 10 are locked in the fastener 18, or releasing admit, that the upper piston 22 and the lower piston 6 approach each other, so that the ball bodyn 27 and the body halves 33 and 34 resp the pin halves 9 and 10 are given freedom to move for setting of the first object 30. A lock handle 35 is provided to lock, with extra security, the pin halves in the fastener 18. The recess in the latter is exposed to large stress, and if the fastener is made from aluminum, it ought to be lined by a bush of steel.The pin halves 9,10 can, as is obvious from the figure be united to some degree at a lower portion, so that they can be pressed apart along a greater part of their axial elongation, but also are united in the lower portion. Between the lower piston 6 and the wedge element 8 there is a friction plate 7. Each of the body halves 33 and 34 is provided with its axle pin 14 and 15, which are mounted in bearings in the house 12 and 13 and inwardly directed bevellings are provided so that the body halves 33 and 34 are revolving around an axle 31 in relationship to the lower cylindrical part 2 in a plane parallel to the axial symmetry axle of the latter, which is shown in figure 4. The wedge element 8 also locks the body halves 33 and 34 against the house 12 and 13 in a position where the lower piston 6 is locking. The wedge element 8 can be formed with different wedge angles. A trimming screw 19, which can be seen in figure 3, can be motivated if high loads are acting upon the shaft 26, in order to prevent bending of the body halves 33 and 34. A lock ring 28, see figure 1 and 7, for the body halves 24 and 25 keeps these on place around the upper cylindrical part 1 and rotates with the hollow body. One of the hollow body halves has a ball, upon which acts a spring, inserted and a groove for a guide cotter 29, so that the lock ring can only move forwards, backwards in relationship to the hollow body halves, which all three can rotate 360° around the upper cylindrical part l.The shaft 26, in the embodiment shown, can can move about 230° in the gap 32. When the handle 21 is set in a releasing position, the lock ring 28 can be moved so much backwards, that only one hollow body halve is set free, and releases the ball body 27 with the shaft 26. It is thus very simple to exchange a number of ball bodies with shafts and resp objects. In figures 8 and 9 another somewhat modified embodiment of the supporting device according to the invention is shown.Here the friction ring 23 between the upper piston 22 and the hollow body 27 is replaced by a resilient rotationally symmetric ring 36 made from rubber of a suitable hardness It warrants, that the different parts of the supporting device are released gradually when the handle 21 is turned releasing.The fric tion plate 7 is replaced by a ball 37. The fastener 18 is shown in a variant, fixed to a table top 38. in this embodiment the upper cylindrical part 1 and the hollow body halves 24 and 25 are formed like one unit A third embodiment of the supporting device according to the invention is shown in figure 10.. Here the axial axles of symmetry to the upper cylindrical part 1 and the lower cylindrical part 2 form 90° angle with the expander means 20,21 in between. This embodiment is in some cases preferred when great range and moving sphere is desired. List of details 1 upper cylindrical part 2 lower cylindrical part 3 anchoring part, first 4 anchoring part, second 5 covering casing 6 lower piston 7 friction plate 8 wedge element 9,10 pin halve 11 bevelling 12,13 house 14,15 shaft pin 16 O- ring 17 groove 18 fastener 19 trimming screw 0 wedge 1 handle 2 upper piston 3 friction ring 4,25 hollow body halve 6 shaft 7 ball body 9 guide cotter 0 object, first 1 rotation axle for 9,10 2 gap 3,34 body halve 5 lock handle 6 resilient ring 7 ball 8 table top

Claims: Patent claims 1. A supporting device for setting with a large freedom of choice in the space, of a first object, like a computer keyboard, in relationship to a second, fixed object, like a table top, characterized by a cylindrical body (1,2), comprising an upper cylindrical part (1) and a lower cylindrical part (2), an upper piston (22) being axially movable in the upper cylindrical part (1) and a lower piston (6) being axially movable in the lower cylindrical part (2), the upper cylindrical part (1) being connected to a hollow body (24,25), parted into two hollow body parts (24) and (25), with a gap (32) between them, preferably with a symmetry plane coinciding with the symmetry plane of the hollow body, (24,25) a ball body (27) being grasped by the hollow body (24,25) and the upper piston (22), whilst a shaft (26) is fixed to the ball body (27), pointing out through the gap (32), carrying said first object (30), the lower cylindrical part (2) being connected to a casing (12,13), which comprises two body halves (33,34) each being connected to its pin halve (9,10), which extend downwards to a fastener (18) in said second object, a wedge element (8) being provided, which can be acted upon by the lower piston (6), an expander means(21,20) being provided, which when acted upon by an outer means part, like a handle( 21), can either bring the upper piston (22) and the lower piston (6) apart, locking, so that the ball body (27) is locked by the upper piston (22) and the wedge element (8) forces the two body halves (33,34) apart, locking, so that the pin halves (9,10) are locked in the fastener (18), or releasably admits, that the. upper piston (22) and the lower piston (6) approach each other. 2. A supporting device according to claim 1, characterized in that each of the body halves (33,34) is provided with an axle pin (14,15), mounted in bearings in the house (12,13) and inwardly directed bevelling(l 1), so that the body halves (33,34) can be revolved in relationship to the lower cylindrical part (2) in a plane, parallel to the axial symmetry axis,the wedge element (8) also locking the body halves (33,34) against the house, (12,13) when the lower piston is in a locking posiition. 3. A supporting device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the pin halves (9,10) have a common circular cross section. 4. A supporting device according to any of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the upper cylindrical part (1) and the lower cylindrical part (2) have a common axial symmetry axis. 5. A supporting device according to any of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the upper cylindrical part (1) and the lower cylindrical part (2) have axial symmetry axles forming an angle differing from 0°, such as 90°. 6. A supporting device according to any of claims 1 to 5, characterizerd in that the expander means (20,21) is formed like a wedge (20) which is provided to cooperate by its outer surfaces with corrcponding surfaces at the upper resp the lower piston, (22,6) the wedge (20) being provided to be moved locking resp releasing by an outer means part, like a handle (21). 7. A supporting device according to any of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that a resilient ring (36), preferably in the form of a cylindrical ring made from an elastomer is placed between the upper piston (22) and the ball body (27).

Inventors: HANSSON GOERAN, HANSSON, GOERAN
Applicants: HANSSON GOERAN, HANSSON, GOERAN
Application year: 1995
Main classification: F16M11
IPC codes: F16C11, F16M11