Abstract:
A detachable fastening apparatus comprises a base member including a first end adapted for coupling to a truck and a second end being able to be tied by a rope; and a pivot plate member, which is moveable between a first position and a second position, pivotally coupled to the base member between the first and second ends of the base member and selectively positioned in the first position or the second position via a positioning member.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application is a continuation-in-part application of application Ser. No. 10/908,451, filed May 12, 2005, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The present invention relates to a detachable fastening apparatus. 
         [0004]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0005]    As claimed in Taiwanese Patent No. M282869, an apparatus used for truck includes a base, a positioning member and a fastening unit. The base has a coupled portion which is groove-shaped and the fastening unit has a fixed portion engaged with the coupled portion of the base. A cooperation of the coupled portion and the fixed portion prevents the fastening unit detaching from the base. However, a loading which the apparatus has to bear could be large, and it might be not stable enough to fix the fastening unit with respect to the base in position. Further, the fastening unit is positioned to the base in a stationary angle only. The present invention is therefore intended to obviate or at least alleviate the problems encountered in prior art. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    Aspects of the present invention address one or more of the issues mentioned above, thereby providing a detachable fastening apparatus adapted for fastening goods to a truck. The fastener apparatus includes a base member, a pivot plate member and a positioning member used for pivoting the pivot plate member with respect to the base member. The pivot plate member is moveable between a first position and a second position. While the pivot plate member is the first position, the fastening apparatus is used for fastening a bicycle to the truck. While the pivot plate member is in the second position, the fastening apparatus is used for tying goods to the truck. 
         [0007]    Other objectives, advantages, and features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]    The present invention will be described via detailed illustration of the preferred embodiment referring to the drawings. 
           [0009]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a fastening apparatus according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  is an exploded view of the fastening apparatus shown in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  is another exploded, perspective view of the fastening apparatus shown in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view taken along  4 - 4  in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0013]      FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view taken along  5 - 5  in  FIG. 4 . 
           [0014]      FIG. 6  is another cross-sectional view similar to  FIG. 4 . 
           [0015]      FIG. 7  is another cross-sectional view similar to  FIG. 5 . 
           [0016]      FIG. 8  is another cross-sectional view similar to  FIG. 7 . 
           [0017]      FIG. 9  is a perspective view of the fastening apparatus shown in  FIG. 1  and used for tying goods to a truck. 
           [0018]      FIG. 10  is a partial, enlarged view of the fastening apparatus shown in  FIG. 9 . 
           [0019]      FIG. 11  is a perspective view of the fastening apparatus shown in  FIG. 1  and used for fastening a bicycle to a truck. 
           [0020]      FIG. 12  is a partial, enlarged view of the fastening apparatus shown in  FIG. 11 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0021]    Referring to  FIGS. 1 through 3 , they show a fastening apparatus in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention. The fastening apparatus includes a base member  10 , a pivot plate member  20  and a positioning member  30  used for pivotally coupling the base and pivot plate members  10 ,  20  to each other. The pivot plate member  20  is able to pivot with respect to the base member  10  between a first position and a second position by operating the positioning member  30 . Further, by releasing the positioning member  30 , the pivot plate member  20  is fixed to the base member  10  in position. 
         [0022]    The base member  10 , which has first and second ends  101 ,  102 , includes a U-shaped receptacle  11  formed at the first end  101  and a restricting element  12  threading through the bottom side of the receptacle  11 . The receptacle  11  is adapted to be inserted by an edge of a truck, and the restricting element  12  is able to tightly abut against the bottom of the edge of the truck so that a cooperation of the receptacle  11  and the restricting element  12  is used to fix the fastening apparatus to the truck. A tie portion  13  is integrally formed on the second end  102  and a rope is able to tie at the tie portion  13 . A pivotal portion  14  projects from a lateral side of the base member  10  between the first and second ends  101 ,  102 . A positioning hole  15  pierces through the pivotal portion  14  longitudinally and includes a first section  151 , a second section  152  and an annular groove  153  transversely defined therethrough between the first and second sections  151 ,  152  and communicating with positioning hole  15 . A piece  16  is adapted to insert into the annular groove  153 . First, second and third radial position portions  154 ,  155 ,  156  are defined in the second section  152  (shown in  FIG. 5 ). A cross-section of the second section  152  of the positioning hole  15  is a circle with three radial slots and the slots are not in the same radial position. 
         [0023]    The pivot plate member  20 , which has first and second ends  201 ,  202 , includes a receiving recess  21  and first and second positioning openings  22 ,  23 . The receiving recess  21  is adapted to receive the pivotal portion  14  so that the pivot plate member  20  is able to pivot with respect to the pivotal portion  14 . The first and second positioning openings  22 ,  23  respectively correspond to the positioning hole  15 . A through-hole  24  pierces through the second end  202  longitudinally. A fastening member  25  is inserted through the through-hole  24  and includes a handle  251  defined at an end thereof and a threaded portion  252  formed on the outer periphery of another end thereof. After the fastening member  25  is inserted into the through-hole  24 , the second end  202  of the pivot plate member  20  is sandwiched by the handle  251  and the threaded portion  252 . A locking member  26 , then, is engaged with the threaded portion  252 . 
         [0024]    The positioning member  30  includes a shaft  31 , an elastic element  32  disposed in the first positioning opening  22  and a positioning element  33  disposed in the second positioning opening  23 . A pressing end  311  and a coupled end  312  are respectively formed at two ends of the shaft  31 . The shaft  31  is inserted through the elastic element  32 , the first positioning opening  22 , the first section  151  of the positioning hole  15 , the piece  16 , the second section  152  of the positioning hole  15  and the second positioning opening  23  in sequence. The coupled end  312  has outer threads and the positioning element  33  has inner threads so that the coupled end  312  is able to insert to and engage with the positioning element  33 . The piece  16  prevents the positioning element  33  detaching from the positioning hole  15  toward the first section  151 . A cross-section of the positioning element  33  is equal to the second positioning opening  23  and non-circle. First and second radial projecting portions  331 ,  332  are formed on the outer periphery of the positioning element  33  radially. 
         [0025]    Referring to  FIGS. 4 and 5 , while the pivot plate member  20  is in the first position, a first surface  203  (shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 ) of the pivot plate member  20  abuts with the tie portion  13  of the base member  10  and the positioning element  33  is restricted in both of the second positioning opening  23  and the positioning hole  15 . In the same time, the first and second radial projecting portion  331 ,  332  are respectively positioned in the first and third radial position portions  154 ,  156  of the positioning hole  15  as to prevent the pivot plate member  20  pivoting with respect to the base member  10 . 
         [0026]    Referring to  FIGS. 6 and 7 , after pushing the pressing end  311  of the shaft  31  toward the pivot plate member  20 , the elastic element  32  is pressed and then, the positioning element  33  is driven to detach the positioning hole  15  from the second section  152 . Hence, the pivot plate member  20  enables to pivot with respect to the base member  10 . 
         [0027]    Further referring to  FIG. 8 , while the pivot plate member  20  is in the second position, a second surface  204  (shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 ) of the pivot plate member  20  abuts with the outer wall of the receptacle  11  of the base member  10  as to remove restriction of the positioning member  30  about the pivot plate member  20 . The elastic element  32  is released and the shaft  31  drives the positioning element  33  to move toward the pivotal portion  14 . And the positioning element  33  is restricted in both of the second positioning opening  23  and the positioning hole  15 . In the same time, the first and second radial projecting portions  331 ,  332  are respectively positioned in the third and second radial position portions  156 ,  155  of the positioning hole  15  as to prevent the pivot plate member  20  pivoting with respect to the base member  10 . 
         [0028]    The fastening apparatus is able to tie goods to a truck as shown in  FIGS. 9 and 10 . After operating the positioning member  30 , the pivot plate member  20  is in the second position. The receptacle  11  is adapted to fasten to the truck and a rope used for tying goods ties onto the tie portion  13  of the base member  10 . 
         [0029]    The fastening apparatus is able to fasten a bicycle to a truck as shown in  FIGS. 11 and 12 . After operating the positioning member  30 , the pivot plate member  20  is in the first position. The receptacle  11  is adapted to fasten to the truck and then, after detaching the locking member  26  from the fastening member  25  and removing the fastening member  25  from the through-hole  24 , a front fork of the bicycle is disposed at the pivot plate member  20  and the fastening member  25  is adapted to insert through the front fork and the through-hole  24  and engage with the locking member  26  again. Hence, the bicycle can be fixed to the fastening apparatus by engagement of the front fork, the locking member  26  and the fastening member  25 . 
         [0030]    While the invention has been described by way of example and in terms of a preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto. To the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements and procedures, and the scope of the appended claims therefore should be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar arrangements and procedures.