Clamping apparatus for portable electronic device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9749002-B1
Application number	US-201715401822-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Jan 9, 2017
Priority date	Jan 9, 2017
Publication date	Aug 29, 2017
Grant date	Aug 29, 2017

Abstract

A clamping apparatus includes: a base defining a holding plate; two clamping units installed on the machine base and movable relative to each other; a unidirectional restriction unit restricting the clamping units from moving toward a center of the holding plate, having a portion exposed to an exterior of the holding plate such that an applied pressure results in withdrawal of the portion into the base and releases the clamping units from moving, thereby permitting the clamping units to move toward each other to clamp an electronic device tightly; and a manipulating unit is disposed in the base and has an manipulating part exposed to an exterior of the base such that activation of the manipulating part results in causing simultaneous movement of the clamping units away from each other and releasing the electronic device from the clamping units.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A clamping apparatus, comprising:
a machine base defining a holding plate that is adapted to receive an electronic device thereon and that is formed with an opening;
left and right clamping units installed on two opposite sides of said machine base and movable relative to each other and a tension spring interconnecting said clamping units under tension;
a unidirectional restriction unit installed within said base, connected operably with said clamping units and restricting said clamping units from moving toward a center of said holding plate, said restriction unit having a portion extending through said opening so as to be exposed to an exterior of said holding plate such that an applied external pressure results in withdrawal of said portion into said opening and releases said clamping units from moving, thereby permitting said clamping units to move simultaneously toward the center of said holding plate so as to clamp the electronic device tightly due to tension action of said tension spring; and
a manipulating unit disposed within said base, including a gear set operably connected to said clamping units for simultaneous movement, a movable pinion disposed movably within said base, non-meshed with said gear set in a normal condition and a push element having a transmission rack meshed with said movable pinion and an manipulating part exposed to an exterior of said base such that activation of said manipulating part results in movement of said pinion to mesh with said gear set, thereby causing simultaneous movement of said clamping units away from each other and releasing the electronic device from said clamping units.

2. The clamping apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said unidirectional restriction unit includes a press plate having left and right toothed portions, a press button serving as said portion and in form a hollow body disposed on said press plate between said left and right toothed portions and a spring disposed behind and biasing said press plate in such a manner that said press button is exposed to said exterior of said holding plate via said opening, said clamping units having left and right barbed portions engaged respectively with said left and right toothed portions of said press plate.

3. The clamping apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein once said left and right barbed portions of said clamping units are engaged respectively with said left and right toothed portions of said press plate, said clamping units are prevented from moving toward the center of said holding plate.

4. The clamping apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein each of said clamping units is constituted by a movable plate formed with an elongated rack and a clamping plate extending perpendicularly from said movable plate, said gear set includes a pair of fixed gears meshed respectively with said elongated rack of said clamping units.

5. The clamping apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said push element is formed with an axial guide slot, said machine base further includes a guide stub disposed stationarily therein and extending through said axial guide slot in said push element so as to define a traveling direction and prevent untimely removal of said push element relative to said movable pinion.

6. The clamping apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said manipulating unit further includes a biasing spring disposed within said machine base for biasing one end of said push element in such a manner that said manipulating part is exposed to an exterior of said base in a normal condition.

7. The clamping apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein said push element is provided with an impelling piece relative to said movable pinion such that when said one end of said push element is biased by said biasing spring so as to expose said manipulating part to an exterior of said base, said impelling piece sustains said movable pinion to a position, where the movable pinion is non-meshing with said gear set in said normal condition.

8. The clamping apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a support unit installed within said machine base including a movable block movable in a direction transverse to moving direction of said clamping units and a support stem projecting outwardly from said movable block such that after assembly said support stem is exposed to an exterior of said machine base.

9. The clamping apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein said movable block is formed with a fixing aperture and a plurality of fixing teeth adjacent to said fixing aperture, the clamping apparatus further comprising a fixing device disposed in said fixing aperture to permit movement of said movable block in said transverse direction relative to said movement direction of said clamping units and preventing untimely disengagement of said movable block 61 from said machine base.

10. The clamping apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein said fixing device includes a compression spring disposed within said fixing aperture of said movable block and said machine base and a compress member having two lateral sides formed with engagement teeth for selectively engaging said fixing teeth of said movable block after compressing against said compression spring such that after assembly a portion of compress member is exposed to an exterior of said holding plate and determining the exposed portion of the movable block with respect to said machine base.

Assignees

• Fan Eagle

Inventors

• Fan Eagle

Classifications

• H04B1/3888 Primary

  Arrangements for carrying or protecting transceivers · CPC title

• H04M1/04 Primary

  Supports for telephone transmitters or receivers · CPC title