Abstract:
A device for hanging a workpiece for anodizing includes a hanging member for fixing the workpiece, a positioning assembly, a latching assembly mounted on the positioning assembly, and a connecting rod assembly. The hanging member includes a latching end. The positioning assembly and the latching assembly cooperatively defines a latching space for positioning the hanging member. The connecting rod assembly includes a cam pivoted with the latching assembly, and a rod fixed with the cam. The cam includes a resisting end. The latching end of the hanging member is latched in the latching space. The cam is rotatable by means of the rod, such that the rod is capable of driving the resisting end of the cam to resist on the latching end to fix the hanging member, or to move away from the latching end to release the hanging member.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    1. Technical Field 
         [0002]    The present disclosure generally relates to hanging devices, and more particularly to a device from which items for anodizing can be hung. 
         [0003]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0004]    Aluminum workpieces may be anodized to protect the bare aluminum and for appearance. In an aluminum anodizing process, the aluminum workpieces are suspended on a hanging device. The hanging device with the aluminum workpieces are submerged in an electrolyte solution, such as a vitriolic solution. When the hanging device is electrically connected to an anode of an electrical source, the aluminum workpieces can be anodized in the electrolyte solution. 
         [0005]    Generally, the hanging device includes a fixing portion to be fixed on a fixing frame and a hooking portion connected to the fixing portion for hanging the workpiece. However, the fixing portion usually has a curved structure. In use, the fixing portion is hooked on the fixing frame, and then fixed to the fixing frame by several fasteners. Therefore, it is inconvenient to fix or detach the hanging device from the fixing frame. 
         [0006]    Therefore, there is room for improvement within the art. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]    The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present disclosure. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout several views, and all the views are schematic. 
           [0008]      FIG. 1  shows an assembled, isometric view of one embodiment of a hanging device, the hanging device includes a hanging member, a pair of positioning assemblies, a pair of latching assemblies and a pair of connecting rod assemblies. 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  shows an enlarged, isometric view of the hanging member of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  shows an exploded, isometric view of part of one of the positioning assemblies of the hanging device of  FIG. 1 , the positioning assembly includes a first mounting member. 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  shows an enlarged, isometric view of the first mounting member of  FIG. 3 . 
           [0012]      FIG. 5  shows a cross-section of the hanging device of  FIG. 1 , taken along line V-V. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0013]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , an embodiment of a hanging device  100  is shown. The hanging device  100  includes a hanging member  10 , a pair of positioning assemblies  30 , a pair of latching assemblies  50 , and a pair of connecting rod assemblies  70 . In the illustrated embodiment, the positioning assemblies  30  are fixed on a supporting frame  200 . The supporting frame  200  is substantially a fixed plate in an anodizing line, for positioning the hanging device  100 . Each latching assembly  50  is mounted on a positioning assembly  30 . Each connecting rod assembly  70  is mounted on a latching assembly  50 . The hanging member  10  is positioned on the positioning assemblies  30  and fixed by the connecting rod assemblies  70  and the latching assemblies  50 . 
         [0014]    Referring to  FIG. 2 , the hanging member  10  includes a latching end  11 , a hooking end  12  opposite to the latching end  11  for suspending a plurality of workpieces, and a connecting rod  13  interconnecting the hooking end  12  and the latching end  11 . The latching end  11  is substantially a “T” shaped board, and includes a main body  112  and a latching portion  114 . One end of the body  112  connects to a substantially middle portion of the latching portion  114 , and the other end of the body  112  connects to the connecting rod  13 . The two ends of the latching portion  114  can be positioned on the pair of the positioning assemblies  30 , and can be fixed by the connecting rod assemblies  70  and the latching assemblies  50 . 
         [0015]    Also referring to  FIGS. 3 through 5 , each positioning assembly  30  includes a first mounting member  31 , a second mounting member  33 , an elastic member  35 , a stopping member  37 , a latching member  38 , and a stopping strip  39 . The second mounting member  33  is fixed to the first mounting member  31  to define a receiving chamber  336  to allow the supporting frame  200  to pass through. The elastic member  36  and the stopping member  37  are engaged between the first mounting member  31  and the second mounting member  33 . The latching member  38  and the stopping strip  39  are mounted on the first mounting member  31 . 
         [0016]    The first mounting member  31  includes a main body  311 , and a resisting plate  313  extending from an end of the body  311 . The body  311  and the resisting plate  313  are substantially cuboid, and the body  311  is elevated in relation to the resisting plate  313 . In other words, the body  311  forms a stopping portion  3111  at the end adjacent to the resisting plate  313 . The body  311  further defines a valley portion  3112  at the end away from the resisting plate  313 , and a stepped through hole  3113  through the body  311  near the stopping portion  3111 . The stepped through hole  3113  defines a stepped surface  3114  at the opposite side of the valley portion  3112 . 
         [0017]    The second mounting member  33  includes a main body  331 , a first protrusion portion  332  and a second protrusion portion  334 . The first protrusion portion  332  and the second protrusion portion  334  protrude from the ends of the surface of the body  331  facing the first mounting member  31 . The first protrusion portion  332  is fixed to the body  311  between the valley portion  3112  and the stepped through hole  3113  via a plurality of fasteners (not shown). The second protrusion portion  334  is fixed to the end of the resisting plate  313  away from the body  311  via a plurality of fasteners (not shown). In this way, the receiving chamber  336  is cooperatively defined by the first mounting member  31  and the second mounting member  33  for latching the supporting frame  200 . The body  331  and the first protrusion portion  332  cooperatively define a groove  338 , to contain the elastic member  35  and the stopping member  37 . 
         [0018]    In the illustrated embodiment, the stopping member  37  includes a fixing portion  371 , a flange portion  373  perpendicularly extending from an end of the fixing portion  371 , and a through hole  375  in the fixing portion  371  and the flange portion  373 . The fixing portion  371  is substantially columnar. The elastic member  35  is a columnar spring, and is sleeved on the fixing portion  371  of the stopping member  37 . The flange portion  373  forms a resisting surface  3731  perpendicular to the fixing portion  371 . The resisting surface  3731  abuts the elastic member  35 . 
         [0019]    In the illustrated embodiment, the latching member  38  is a thin plate, mounted on the end of the body  311  near the stopping portion  3111 , and parallel to the resisting plate  313 . A stopping strip  39  is mounted on a side of the resisting plate  313  of the body  311  near the stopping portion  3111 , the stopping strip  39  is substantially a thin bent plate. The stopping portion  3111 , the resisting plate  313 , the latching member  38 , and the stopping strip  39  cooperatively define a latching space  315  (see  FIG. 5 ) for latching the latching portion  114  of the hanging member  10 . 
         [0020]    Each latching assembly  50  is used to connect the positioning assembly  30  with the connecting rod assemblies  70 , and includes a supporting member  51 , a fastener  53  and a pivoting component  55 . The fastener  53  fixes the supporting member  51  to the stopping member  37  through the stepped through hole  3113 . The pivoting component  55  enables the connecting rod assemblies  70  to pivot on the supporting member  51 . 
         [0021]    The supporting member  51  includes a main body  511 , a pair of pivoting members  512  extending from an end of the body  511 , a first protruding portion  513 , and a second protruding portion  515 . The first protruding portion  513  protrudes from one end of the body  511  and away from the pivoting member  512 . The second protruding portion  515  protrudes from the other end of the body  511  adjacent to the pivoting member  512  to correspond to the stepped through hole  3114 . The body  511  defines a through hole  5111  through the second protruding portion  515 , and communicates with the stepped through hole  3114 . The pivoting members  512  extend from the body  511  and face each other, and hold the pivoting component  55  in place. Each pivoting member  512  includes an extending portion  5121  extending from the body  511 , and a pivoting hole  5123  through the distal end of the extending portion  5121 . 
         [0022]    The first protruding portion  513  perpendicularly protrudes out from the body  511 , and forms a convex end  5131  to correspond with the valley portion  3112 . The second protruding portion  515  perpendicularly protrudes out from the body  511  in the same direction and at the same height as the first protruding portion  513 . In the illustrated embodiment, the fastener  53  is a screw, and the length of the fastener  53  is longer than the through hole  5111 . The pivoting component  55  is a rod to fit the pivoting holes  5123 . 
         [0023]    Each of the connecting rod assemblies  70  includes a cam  71  and a rod  73  fixed on the cam  71 . The cam  71  defines a pivoting hole  711  to align with the pivoting hole  5123 , and there is a resisting end  713  on the end of the cam  71 . The distance between the pivoting hole  711  and the resisting end  713  is longer than the distance between the pivoting hole  711  and the surface of the latching portion  114 . 
         [0024]    In assembly, first, the latching member  38  is fixed on the end of the body  311  parallel to the resisting plate  313 , and the stopping strip  39  is fixed on a side of the body  311  perpendicular to the resisting plate  313 . Thus, the body  311 , the resisting plate  313 , the latching member  38  and the stopping strip  39  cooperatively define the latching space  315 . 
         [0025]    Second, the elastic member  35  is sleeved on fixing portion  371 , and the resisting surface  3731  abuts the elastic member  35 . 
         [0026]    Third, the supporting member  51  is placed on the first mounting member  31 . The through hole  5111  is aligned with the through hole  375 . The second protruding portion  515  abuts the body  311 , and the convex end  5131  rests in the valley portion  3112 . The fastener  53  is inserted through the through hole  5111  and the through hole  735 , and fixes the supporting member  51  to the stopping member  37 . Thus, the elastic member  35  is sandwiched between the stepped surface  3114  and the flange portion  373 . 
         [0027]    Fourth, the rod  73  is fixed on the cam  71 . The cam  71  is placed between the pair of pivoting members  512 , and the pivoting hole  711  is aligned with the pivoting hole  5123 . The pivoting component  55  is inserted into the pivoting hole  711  and the pivoting hole  523 . 
         [0028]    Fifth, the flange portion  373  is positioned in the groove  338 . The first protruding portion  332  is fixed to the body  311 , and the second protruding portion  334  is fixed to the resisting plate  313 . The first mounting member  31  and the second mounting member  33  define the receiving chamber  336  in which the supporting frame  200  is secured. At this time, the positioning assembly  30 , the connecting member  50  and the second mounting member  70  are assembled together and fixed on the supporting frame  200 . 
         [0029]    Finally, the two ends of the latching portion  114  are latched in the receiving chamber  315  and supported on the stopping portion  3111 . 
         [0030]    In use, the hanging member  10  is placed on the stopping portion  3111 , and the latching member  38  and the stopping strip  39  prevent the hanging member  10  from falling off the receiving chamber  315 . The workpiece is hooked on the hooking end  12 . The rod  73  is pulled back to drive the cam  71  to rotate, and the resisting end  713  moves towards the latching portion  114  until the resisting end  713  resists on the latching portion  114 . The distance between the pivoting hole  711  and the resisting end  713  being longer than the distance between the pivoting hole  711  and the latching portion  114 , the supporting member  55  is forced to move away from the first mounting member  31 . The fastener  53  pulls the fixing portion  371  across the stepped through hole  3113 , and the elastic member  35  is compressed. The hanging member  10  is fixed in place because the latching portion  114  is latched in the latching space  315  and resisted by the resisting end  713 . 
         [0031]    To disengage, the rod  73  is pushed forward to rotate the cam back, and the resisting end  713  moves away from the latching portion  114 . The supporting member  51  and the stopping member  37  move back. The elastic member  35  extends. The hanging member  10  can thus be detached easily from the latching space  315 . 
         [0032]    The pulling or pushing forces required to move the rod depend upon the strength of the elastic member  35  and different elastic members  35  with different elasticity can be used. The number of the positioning assemblies, the latching assemblies, and the connecting rod assemblies can be one or more than one, with the shape of the latching portion  114  changing accordingly. 
         [0033]    By pulling the rod  73 , the resisting end  713  presses against or moves away from the latching portion  114 , thus the hanging member  10  can be fixed in place or released. In other words, the hanging member  10  is very easily operated. The elastic member  35  is capable of releasing the force resisted on the first mounting member  31  by the resisting end  713 , to minimize the damage to the latching portion  114 . 
         [0034]    Finally, while various embodiments have been described and illustrated, the disclosure is not to be construed as being limited thereto. Various modifications can be made to the embodiments by those skilled in the art without departing from the true spirit and scope of the disclosure as defined by the appended claims.