Patent Abstract:
A simplified rotary shaft device with locating effect. The rotary shaft device includes a shaft body and a carrier body pivotally connected with the shaft body and an elastic member disposed on the carrier body. The carrier body has at least one main assembling section for mounting the elastic member on the carrier body with the elastic member normally contacting or interfering with the shaft body to locate the shaft body. The rotary shaft device is able to overcome the problems of the conventional locating assembly that the elastic deformation is small, the components are likely to wear and it is troublesome and time-consuming to assemble the components.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates generally to a rotary shaft device applied to an electronic device, and more particularly to an assembly of a rotary shaft and an elastic member. In operation, the elastic member provides a reliable locating effect for the rotary shaft. 
         [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0004]    There are various electronic devices provided with covers, display screens or viewers, such as cellular phones, notebooks, PDA, digital imagers and electronic books. The covers, display screens or viewers are freely reciprocally rotatably mounted on the electronic devices via pivot pins or rotary shafts, whereby the covers, display screens or viewers can be opened or closed under external force. For example, conventional skill discloses a rotary shaft structure, another conventional skill discloses a pivot pin locating assembly, and another conventional skill further discloses a pivot pin structure. These Patents provide several typical embodiments of pivot pin or rotary shaft assemblies. 
         [0005]    The conventional pivot pin or rotary shaft assembly generally includes multiple perforated gaskets, frictional plates and elastic members assembled on the rotary shaft. Two ends of the rotary shaft are retained by retainer members to prevent the rotary shaft assembly from axially displacing. Accordingly, the rotary shaft assembly forms an axially tightened rotary shaft structure. There are also various conventional pivot pin or rotary shaft structures in which the rotary shaft is located once rotated. For example, conventional skill discloses a multi-stop rotary shaft structure and another conventional skill discloses a pivot pin structure with protrusions for providing torque. 
         [0006]    As to operation, movement and structural design, the conventional rotary shaft assembly employs multiple gaskets, frictional plates and elastic members or multiple relevant components formed with coplanar insertion structures such as locating protrusions/dents or recessed/raised locating sections for achieving locating effect when the protrusions are rotated to the positions of the dents. In the case that these components are applied to an electronic product, after a period of operation, the coplanar locating protrusions/dents or recessed/raised locating sections are likely to wear due to rigid contact. This will deteriorate the locating effect. 
         [0007]    As known by those skilled in this field, the conventional rotary shaft assembly employs multiple gaskets and frictional plates and cooperative elastic rings or springs for storing and releasing energy so as to provide locating effect for the rotary shaft or the pivot pin. Such structure is relatively complicated in structural design and assembling process. Moreover, the assembling/arrangement length in the axial direction is elongated. This affects and limits the arrangement space of the rotary shaft and the electronic device. 
         [0008]    Another problem in the conventional rotary shaft and locating assembly is that the gaskets are tightened by means of wrenching the nut to a certain extent so as to adjust the elastic clamping effect or frictional resistance. In the case that the gaskets are not sufficiently tightened, the rotary shaft (the cover or the display screen) cannot be optimally located. On the contrary, in the case that the gaskets are over-tightened, the gaskets are likely to be over-stressed and permanently deformed. In this case, after a period of use, the components of the rotary shaft assembly are very likely to wear to cause unstable operation or loosening of the rotary shaft. This is because the elastic deformation of the gaskets and the frictional plates is too small. 
         [0009]    Therefore, it is quite troublesome and difficult for an assembling worker to wrench the nut for tightening and adjusting the gaskets so as to achieve an optimal elastic clamping effect or frictional resistance. In practice, this often leads to deformation and damage of the gaskets. As a result, the ratio of defective products is increased. This is not what we expect. 
         [0010]    According to the aforesaid, it is known that the structural design of the rotary shaft, the locating assembly and the relevant components of the conventional device has some shortcomings that need to be overcome. It is therefore tried by the applicant to provide a rotary shaft device to eliminate the problems existing in the conventional device. In practice, the rotary shaft device of the present invention can solve the above problems existing in the conventional device that the gaskets of the conventional device are likely to over-stressed and deformed and damaged and the components are likely to wear after a period of use and are troublesome to assemble. Without increasing the difficulty in assembling process, the rotary shaft of the present invention is prevented from axially displacing or loosening. Also, the rotary shaft device of the present invention is structurally different from the conventional device and has larger elastic deformation. Therefore, it is unnecessary for a worker to wrench the nut for tightening the gaskets and adjusting the frictional resistance. Accordingly, the problems of over-stressing and permanent deformation and wear of the gaskets can be eliminated and an optimal locating effect can be easily achieved. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0011]    It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to provide a simplified rotary shaft device with locating effect. The rotary shaft device includes a shaft body and a reciprocally movable elastic member assembled with the shaft body. The elastic member normally contacts or interferes with the shaft body to locate the shaft body. The rotary shaft device is able to overcome the problems of the conventional locating assembly that the elastic deformation is small, the components are likely to wear and it is troublesome and time-consuming to assemble the components. 
         [0012]    To achieve the above and other objects, the rotary shaft device of the present invention further includes a carrier body. The elastic member is disposed on the carrier body. The carrier body has at least one main assembling section for mounting the elastic member on the carrier body with the elastic member normally contacting or interfering with the shaft body. 
         [0013]    In the above rotary shaft device, the elastic member has a first end, a second end and a bridge section connected between the first and second end. The bridge section has an arched form. When the elastic member interferes with the shaft body, the bridge section provides a deformation range, permitting the elastic member to elastically deform to a larger extent. 
         [0014]    In the above rotary shaft device, the first end of the elastic member is formed with a main restraint section in the form of a slot for receiving therein a main assembling section of the carrier body. The main assembling section is movable within the main restraint section. The second end of the elastic member is formed with a subsidiary restraint section corresponding to a subsidiary assembling section of the carrier body. The subsidiary restraint section is pivotally connected with the subsidiary assembling section of the carrier body. When the shaft body or the carrier body is rotated, the elastic member is forcedly reciprocally moved and deformed to store energy or release energy. 
         [0015]    The present invention can be best understood through the following description and accompanying drawings, wherein: 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0016]      FIG. 1  is a perspective assembled view of the present invention, showing the assembly of the shaft body, the carrier body and the elastic member; 
           [0017]      FIG. 2  is a perspective exploded view of the present invention according to  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0018]      FIG. 3  is a sectional assembled view of the present invention according to  FIG. 1 , showing the assembly of the shaft body, the carrier body and the elastic member; 
           [0019]      FIG. 4  is a plane view of the present invention according to  FIG. 3 , showing that the first end of the elastic member interferes with the restriction section of the shaft body; 
           [0020]      FIG. 5  is a sectional assembled view of the present invention according to  FIG. 3 , showing that after the elastic member is driven by the carrier body to rotate, the first end of the elastic member interferes with the base section of the shaft body; and 
           [0021]      FIG. 6  is a plane view of the present invention according to  FIG. 5 , showing that the first end of the elastic member interferes with the base section of the shaft body. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0022]    Please refer to  FIGS. 1 ,  2  and  3 . The rotary shaft device of the present invention includes a shaft body  10  and a carrier body  20  pivotally connected with the shaft body  10 . The shaft body  10  has the form of a cylindrical body and can be mounted on an electronic device (not shown). The electronic device includes a device body module and a movable module (such as a cover or a display screen). To speak more specifically, the shaft body  10  and the carrier body  20  are respectively mounted on the device body module and the movable module of the electronic device. When a user rotates and opens the movable module from the device body module or closes the movable module onto the device body module, the movable module of the electronic device will drive the carrier body  20  (or the shaft body  10 ) to relatively rotate. 
         [0023]    Referring to  FIGS. 1 ,  2  and  3 , the rotary shaft device further includes an elastic member  30  mounted on the carrier body  20 . The elastic member  30  is normally in contact with the shaft body  10  or interferes with the shaft body  10 . In this embodiment, the shaft body  10  has a base section  11  and at least one restriction section  12  formed on the base section  11 . The restriction section  12  has the form of a plane face. The base section  11  has the form of an annular body. Therefore, the base section  11  has a radius larger than a distance between the restriction section  12  and an axis of the shaft body  10 . 
         [0024]    The carrier body  20  has an enclosure section  21  for enclosing the shaft body  10 . The shaft body  10  is rotatable within the enclosure section  21 . The carrier body  20  further has an extension section  22  for pivotally connecting with the movable module, whereby the carrier body  20  is movable along with the movement of the movable module as aforesaid. 
         [0025]    In a preferred embodiment, the carrier body  20  has at least one main assembling section  24  and a subsidiary assembling section  25  for mounting the elastic member  30  on the carrier body  20 . The main assembling section  24  and the subsidiary assembling section  25  respectively protrude from two ends of the extension section  22 . 
         [0026]    Referring to  FIGS. 1 ,  2  and  3 , the elastic member  30  has the form of a board body. The elastic member  30  has a first end  31 , a second end  32  and a bridge section  33  connected between the first and second ends  31 ,  32 . The bridge section  33  has an arched form. When the elastic member  30  (or the first end  31 ) interferes with the shaft body  10 , the bridge section  33  permits the elastic member  30  to deform to a certain extent within a larger range. 
         [0027]    In this embodiment, the first end  31  of the elastic member is formed with a main restraint section  34  in the form of a slot for receiving therein the main assembling section  24  of the carrier body  20 . The main assembling section  24  is movable within the main restraint section  34 . This will be further described hereinafter. The second end  32  of the elastic member is formed with a subsidiary restraint section  35  in the form of a notch corresponding to the subsidiary assembling section  25  of the carrier body  20 . The subsidiary restraint section  35  is pivotally connected with or secured to the subsidiary assembling section  25  of the carrier body  20 . When the shaft body  10  or the carrier body  20  is rotated, the elastic member  30  will be reciprocally moved and deformed with the subsidiary assembling section  25  and the subsidiary restraint section  35  as a fulcrum. Accordingly, the elastic member  30  can store energy or release energy. 
         [0028]    In a preferred embodiment, the first end  31  of the elastic member is formed with an arched face  36  and two contact sections  37  formed on two sides of the arched face  36  corresponding to the base section  11  and the restriction section  12  of the shaft body  10 . The contact sections  37  are in the form of plane face. 
         [0029]    Referring to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the contact sections  37  of the first end  31  of the elastic member serve to press the restriction section  12  of the shaft body in contact with the restriction section  12  or interfere with the restriction section  12  so as to stably and truly locate the shaft body. 
         [0030]    Please refer to  FIGS. 3 ,  4 ,  5  and  6 . In order to facilitate illustration, it is assumed that  FIGS. 3 and 4  show that the movable module (or the carrier body  20 ) is positioned in a closed position where the movable module is closed onto the device body module, while  FIGS. 5 and 6  show that the movable module (or the carrier body  20 ) is operated and moved to an opened position where the movable module is opened from the device body module. 
         [0031]    When a user operates and rotates the movable module to make the carrier body  30  rotate from the position of  FIG. 3  (or  FIG. 4 ) to the position of  FIG. 5  (or  FIG. 6 ), the carrier body  20  drives the contact sections  37  of the first end  31  of the elastic member to leave the restriction section  12 . As aforesaid, the radius of the base section  11  is larger than the distance between the restriction section  12  and the axis of the shaft body  10 . Therefore, when the contact sections  37  of the first end  31  of the elastic member are driven by the carrier body  20  to contact or interfere with the base section  11 , the elastic member  30  is pushed and pressed by the base section  11 . At this time, the main restraint section  34  is moved to the right side of  FIGS. 3 and 4  relative to the main assembling section  24  of the carrier body  20  to store energy. Moreover, after rotated, the carrier body  20  and the movable module are immediately located and prevented from shaking. 
         [0032]    Please refer to  FIGS. 5 and 6 . When the user continuously operates and rotates the movable module and the carrier body  20 , the arched face  36  of the first end  31  of the elastic member is rotated into contact with the base section  11  of the shaft body. At this time, the elastic member  30  releases the previously stored energy. In the meantime, the elastic member  30  is restored to its original state to abut against the shaft body  10 . Under such circumstance, the elastic member  30  keeps in contact with the base section  11  to locate the shaft body in a state similar to that shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , (in which the contact sections  37  of the first end  31  of the elastic member contact the restriction section  12  of the shaft body). Accordingly, after rotated, the carrier body  20  and the movable module are immediately located. 
         [0033]    According to the above arrangement, in comparison with the conventional device, the rotary shaft device of the present invention has the following advantages: 
         [0034]    1. The relevant components of the rotary shaft device, (such as the shaft body  10  with the base section  11  and the restriction section  12 , the elastic member  30  with the main restraint section  34  and the carrier body  20  with the main assembling section  24 ), are redesigned and different from those of the conventional device. For example, the first end  31  of the elastic member is formed with the arched face  36  and the contact sections  37 . Also, the shaft body is formed with the base section  11  and the restriction section  12 . In contrast, the conventional device employs multiple gaskets and frictional plates, which are troublesome and time-consuming to assemble. Also, the conventional device has a relatively complicated structure. 
         [0035]    2. The arched bridge section  33  is connected between the first and second ends  31 ,  32  of the elastic member  30 . Accordingly, the elastic member  30  can be elastically deformed to a larger extent. In contrast, in the conventional device, the gaskets are troublesomely tightened by means of wrenching the nut to adjust the frictional resistance. When tightened by the nut, the gaskets are stressed and likely to permanently deform and damage. In another type of conventional device, the relevant components are formed with insertion structures such as the locating protrusions/dents or recessed/raised locating sections. After a period of operation, the components are likely to wear. This will deteriorate the locating effect. 
         [0036]    The above embodiments are only used to illustrate the present invention, not intended to limit the scope thereof. Many modifications of the above embodiments can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

Technology Classification (CPC): 8