Patent Publication Number: US-2004046091-A1

Title: Workbench for bicycles

Description:
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION  
       [0001] 1.Field of Invention  
       [0002] The present invention relates to a workbench for bicycle.  
       [0003] 2. Related Prior Art  
       [0004] Taiwan Patent Publication No. 323488 discloses a conventional device for displaying a bicycle. This conventional displaying device includes a post  11 , a rail  12 , an upper beam  2  and a lower beam  3 . The post  11  is installed on the ground or a platform. The rail  12  is secured to the post  11  and extends horizontally. The upper beam  2  is mounted on the rail  12  in a sliding manner. The lower beam  3  is secured to the post  11 . Braces  22  and  25  are mounted on the upper beam  2 . Braces  31  and  32  are mounted on the lower beam  3 . A bicycle can be mounted on the upper beam  2  and the lower beam  3 . However, the upper beam  2  and the lower beam  3  cannot be folded for storage. In addition, the braces  21 ,  22 ,  31  and  32  cannot adequately hold a bicycle in position for maintenance.  
       [0005] The present invention is therefore intended to obviate or at least alleviate the problems encountered in prior art.  
       SUMMARY OF INVENTION  
       [0006] It is an objective of the present invention to provide a foldable workbench. To this end, a workbench includes a stand, a rack and a positioning device. The rack is pivotally mounted on the stand. The positioning device is used to selectively retain the rack in one of several positions relative to the stand.  
       [0007] It is another objective of the present invention to provide a workbench capable of adequately holding an article in position.  
       [0008] To this end, a workbench includes a stand, a rack and a clamping device. The rack is mounted on the stand. The clamping device is used to clamp an article.  
       [0009] Other objects, advantages, and features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the drawings. 
     
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS  
     [0010] The present invention will be described through detailed illustration of embodiments referring to the attached drawings.  
     [0011]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a workbench according to the present invention.  
     [0012]FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the workbench according to the present invention.  
     [0013] FIGS.  3 - 5  are partially cross-sectional views of the workbench in different positions according to the present invention.  
     [0014]FIG. 6 is similar to FIG. 1 but showing the workbench in a different position.  
     [0015] FIGS.  7 - 11  are cross-sectional views of the workbench in different positions according to the present invention.  
     [0016]FIG. 12 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a portion of the workbench marked up in FIG. 11.  
     [0017]FIG. 13 is a perspective view of the workbench supporting a bicycle. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
     [0018] Referring to FIGS.  1 - 6 , according to the present invention, a workbench includes a stand  10 , a rack  20 , a positioning device  30  and a clamping device  40 .  
     [0019] The stand  10  includes a hollow post. Two opposite apertures  11  are defined in the hollow post of the stand  10 . The stand  10  is conventional and therefore will not be further described in detail.  
     [0020] The rack  20  includes a neck  21  with two plates (not numbered). An aperture  211  extends through each of the plates of the neck  21 . Two recesses  212  are defined in each of the plates of the neck  21  so as to face the recesses  212  defined in the other one of the plates of the neck  21 .  
     [0021] The positioning device  30  includes a cap  31 , a spring  33 , a collar  32  and a ring  34  and a pin  35 . The cap  31  includes a visor  310  formed at a lower end and two opposite apertures  311  defined therein near an upper end. A thread  312  is formed on the visor  310 . The collar  32  includes a reduced portion  321  formed at an upper end and a thread  322  formed on an internal face at a lower end. The thread  322  cannot be tapped into the internal face of the collar  32 . The ring  34  includes two U-shaped slots  341  defined therein so as to form two tabs  342 .  
     [0022] In assembly, the cap  31  is mounted on the post  10 . The spring  33  is mounted around the sleeve  31 . The collar  32  is mounted on the spring  33 . When the thread  322  reaches the thread  312 , the former is engaged with the latter. The collar  32  is rotated relative to the sleeve  31 . Thus, the thread  322  can be located below the thread  312 , and the collar  32  can rotate and slide relative to the sleeve  31 . The spring  33  is compressed between the visor  310  and the reduced portion  321  of the collar  32 . The ring  34  is mounted around the reduced portion  321  of the collar  32 . The ring  34 , the collar  32  and the spring  33  are located below the apertures  311  so that the pin  35  can be inserted through the apertures  211 ,  311  and  11 . Thus, the neck  21  of the rack  20  is pivotally mounted on the post of the stand  10 .  
     [0023] Referring to FIG. 1, in use, the rack  20  is located in a perpendicular position relative to the post of the stand  10 . The tabs  342  can be inserted in recesses  212  of a first pair so as to retain the rack  20  the perpendicular position relative to the stand  10 . Referring to FIG. 3, the post of the stand  10  can be rotated so that the rack  20  can be swung in a horizontal plane. Referring to FIG. 4, the ring  34  is moved downwards in order to move the tabs  342  from the recesses  212  of that first pair, thus allowing rotation of the rack  20  on the stand  10  to a parallel position relative to the post of the stand  10 . Referring to FIG. 5, when recesses  212  of a second pair are aligned with the tabs  342 , the spring  33  moves the collar  32  upwards. The tabs  342  are inserted in the recesses  212  of the second pair so as to retain the rack  20  in the parallel position relative to the stand  10  as further shown in FIG. 6.  
     [0024] Referring to FIGS. 2 and 7- 12 , the clamping device  40  includes a first jaw  401  and a second jaw  402 . The first jaw  401  is secured to the rack  20 . The second jaw  402  is mounted on the rack  20  in a sliding manner to be described in detail.  
     [0025] The clamping device  40  includes a beam  23 , a mount  43 , a nut  24 , a bolt  45 , a controller  46 , a paw  47 , a handle  41 , a spring  42  and a cover  44 .  
     [0026] The mount  43  includes a tube  431 , a plate  432  projecting upwards from the tube  431 , two plates  433  (only one is shown in FIG. 8) projecting downwards from the tube  431  and a rod  434  extending between the plates  433 . The tube  431  includes an axial tunnel extending the entire length thereof and a peripheral aperture in communication with the axial tunnel. Each of the plates  433  defines an aperture.  
     [0027] The bolt  45  includes a first section  451  formed with a thread, a second section  452  with a circular profile, a third section  453  formed with a thread and a fourth section  454  with a non-circular profile.  
     [0028] The controller  46  includes an axial tunnel  462  extending the entire length thereof and a peripheral aperture  463  in communication with the axial tunnel  462 . A groove  462  is defined in an external face of the controller  46 .  
     [0029] The paw  47  includes two side portions, an intermediate portion formed between the side portions and a top portion formed between the side portions. Several teeth  471  are formed on the top portion of the paw  47 . The teeth  471  are sections of a thread corresponding to the thread of the third section  453  of the bolt  45  so that the teeth  471  can be engaged with the thread of the third section  453 . An aperture  472  extends through each of the side portions of the paw  47 .  
     [0030] A spring  473  includes a helical section and two linear sections each extending from an end of the helical section.  
     [0031] The handle  41  includes a first axial tunnel  411  with a circular profile, a second axial tunnel  412 , a peripheral aperture  413  in communication with the second axial tunnel  412  and a flange  414  formed thereon.  
     [0032] The cover  44  includes an opening  441  defined therein and a rim  442  formed around the opening  441 .  
     [0033] In assembly, the beam  23  is in a telescopically inserted in the rack  20  that is hollow. The tube  431  of the mount  43  is secured to the beam  23 . The second jaw  402  is secured to the plate  432  of the mount  43 . Thus, the second jaw  402  is movable relative to the first jaw  401 .  
     [0034] The nut  24  with a thread formed on an internal face is secured to an internal face of the rack  20 . The thread of the first section  451  of the bolt  45  is engaged with the thread of the nut  24 . Rotation of the bolt  45  relative to the nut  24  is continued until the thread of the first section  451  is disengaged from the thread of the nut  24 . Now, the second section  452  of the bolt  45  is inserted in the nut  24 . Thus, rotation of the bolt  45  relative to the nut  24  does not cause movement of the bolt  45  relative to the nut  24 . The controller  46  is inserted in the tube  431  so as to ring the third section of the bolt  45 . The controller  46  is inserted in the first axial tunnel  411  of the handle  41 . A pin  464  is inserted through the aperture  413  into the groove  461 . Thus, movement of the handle  41  causes movement of the controller  46 , but rotation of the handle  41  does not cause rotation of the controller  46 . The fourth section  454  of the bolt  45  is inserted in the second axial tunnel  412  of the handle  41 . Thus, rotation of the handle  41  causes rotation of the bolt  45 , but movement of the handle  41  does not cause movement of the bolt  45 . The spring  42  is mounted on the handle  41 . The handle  41  is inserted through the cover  44  that is secured to the plate  432  of the mount  43 . The spring  42  is compressed between the flange  414  of the handle  41  and the rim  442  of the cover  44 .  
     [0035] The peripheral aperture of the tube  431  is aligned with the peripheral aperture of the controller  46 . A pin  474  is inserted through the apertures defined in the plates  433 , the apertures  472  and the helical section of the spring  473 . Thus, the paw  47  is pivotally mounted on the mount  43 . One of the linear sections of the spring  473  contacts the intermediate portion of the paw  47  and the other one of the linear sections of the spring  473  contacts the rod  434 . Thus, the teeth  471  are forced to engagement with the thread  452  due to the spring  473 .  
     [0036] Referring to FIGS.  7 - 10 , adjusting of the position of the second jaw  402  relative to the first jaw  401  will be described. To move the second jaw  402  from the first jaw  401 , a user pulls the handle  41  so as to pull the controller  46 . The controller  46  pivots the paw  47  so as to disengage the teeth  471  from the thread  452 , thus allowing movement of the mount  43  relative to the bolt  45 . The user can continue to pull the handle  41  so as to pull the cover  44 . The cover  44  pulls the mount  43  so as to move the second jaw  402  from the first jaw  401 . To push the second jaw  402  towards the first jaw  401 , the user pushes the handle  41  so as to push the mount  43 . The mount  43  pushes the paw  47 . The paw  47  can be pivoted due to the spring  473  so that the teeth  471  can be disengaged from the thread  452 . Thus, the mount  43  can be moved relative to the bolt  45 . The user can continue to push the handle  41  so as to push the mount  43 . The mount  43  moves the second jaw  402  towards the first jaw  401 .  
     [0037] Referring to FIGS. 11 and 12, fine-tuning of the position of the second jaw  402  relative to the first jaw  401  will be described. The user can rotate the handle  41  so as to rotate the bolt  45 . The bolt  45  moves the paw  47  due to the engagement of the thread  452  with the teeth  471 . The paw  47  moves the mount  43  that in turn moves the second jaw  402  towards or from the first jaw  401 .  
     [0038]FIG. 13 shows the workbench adequately holding a bicycle in position.  
     [0039] The present invention has been described through detailed illustration of the preferred embodiment. Those skilled in the art can derive many variations from the preferred embodiment without departing from the scope of the present invention. Therefore, the, preferred embodiment shall not limit the scope of the present invention. The scope of the present invention is defined in the attached claims.