A lockable hinge includes a first and second hinge member, a lock, and an actuator. The lockable hinge is coupled to a pair of ladder-leg sections and is arranged to allow the ladder-leg sections to move among closed-ladder, trestle-ladder, and straight-ladder positions. The lock is used to lock th
A lockable hinge includes a first and second hinge member, a lock, and an actuator. The lockable hinge is coupled to a pair of ladder-leg sections and is arranged to allow the ladder-leg sections to move among closed-ladder, trestle-ladder, and straight-ladder positions. The lock is used to lock the hinge members to cause the ladder-leg sections to lock in the closed-ladder, trestle-ladder and straight-ladder positions.
대표청구항▼
The invention claimed is: 1. A lockable ladder hinge comprising first and second hinge members coupled together for rotation about a common axis, a cam having a pair of tabs coupled to the second hinge member, the first hinge member having tab-receiving spaces, an actuator, means for coupling the a
The invention claimed is: 1. A lockable ladder hinge comprising first and second hinge members coupled together for rotation about a common axis, a cam having a pair of tabs coupled to the second hinge member, the first hinge member having tab-receiving spaces, an actuator, means for coupling the actuator to the cam so that, when the actuator is moved in a first direction, the cam moves outwardly relative to the common axis to cause the pair of tabs to withdraw from the tab-receiving spaces to unlock the hinge members, and so that, when the actuator is moved in a second direction opposite to the first direction, the cam moves inwardly relative to the common axis to cause the pair of tabs to enter the tab-receiving spaces to lock the hinge members, the means for coupling the actuator to the cam includes a mounting member, an actuator connector link, and a cam link, the actuator connector link is coupled through the mounting member to the actuator to rotate in the first direction about the common axis for radial movement of the tabs away from the common axis to withdraw the tabs from the tab-receiving spaces to allow the second hinge member to pivot relative to the first hinge member and to rotate in the second direction about the common axis for radial movement of the tabs toward the common axis to move the tabs into the tab-receiving spaces to block the second hinge member from pivoting relative to the first hinge member, and wherein the first hinge member includes a first segment, a second segment, and a pair of guide rings, each of the first and second segments is formed to include at an end thereof an annular flange portion, the pair of guide rings are arranged in side-by-side relationship to one another and between the annular flange portions of the first and second segments, and the first and second segments are coupled together to form the first hinge member. 2. The lockable ladder hinge of claim 1, wherein the annular flange portions are formed to include the tab-receiving spaces. 3. The lockable ladder hinge of claim 1, wherein the guide rings have a first radius, the annular flange portions have a second radius, and the first radius is larger than the second radius. 4. The lockable ladder hinge of claim 1, wherein the guide rings cooperate to provide an arcuate slide portion formed on the perimeter of each guide ring, the guide rings are configured to lie in side-by-side relationship to one another, and a U-shaped notch formed between the tabs of the cam is arranged to receive the arcuate slide portion of the guide ring for slidable movement of the cam along the arcuate slide portion during rotation of the first and second hinge members relative to one another. 5. A lockable ladder hinge comprising first and second hinge members coupled together for rotation about a common axis, a cam having a pair of tabs coupled to the second hinge member, the first hinge member having tab-receiving spaces, an actuator, means for coupling the actuator to the cam so that, when the actuator is moved in a first direction, the cam moves outwardly relative to the common axis to cause the pair of tabs to withdraw from the tab-receiving spaces to unlock the hinge members, and so that, when the actuator is moved in a second direction opposite to the first direction, the cam moves inwardly relative to the common axis to cause the pair of tabs to enter the tab-receiving spaces to lock the hinge members, the means for coupling the actuator to the cam includes a mounting member, an actuator connector link, and a cam link, the actuator connector link is coupled through the mounting member to the actuator to rotate in the first direction about the common axis for radial movement of the tabs away from the common axis to withdraw the tabs from the tab-receiving spaces to allow the second hinge member to pivot relative to the first hinge member and to rotate in the second direction about the common axis for radial movement of the tabs toward the common axis to move the tabs into the tab-receiving spaces to block the second hinge member from pivoting relative to the first hinge member, further comprising a guide assembly arranged to guide movement of the cam, wherein the actuator connector link, the cam link, the cam, and the guide assembly cooperate to provide a lock to lock the first and second hinge members in a fixed position relative to one another, and wherein the guide assembly includes a first guide having a first arm and a second arm, a second guide having a third arm and a spring retainer, and a guide spring, the first guide and the second guide are arranged in side-by-side relation to one another for rotary movement about the common axis, and the guide spring is coupled at a first end thereof to the spring retainer and at a second end thereof to the second arm. 6. A lockable ladder hinge comprising first and second hinge members coupled together for rotation about a common axis, a cam having a pair of tabs coupled to the second hinge member, the first hinge member having tab-receiving spaces, an actuator, means for coupling the actuator to the cam so that, when the actuator is moved in a first direction, the cam moves outwardly relative to the common axis to cause the pair of tabs to withdraw from the tab-receiving spaces to unlock the hinge members, and so that, when the actuator is moved in a second direction opposite to the first direction, the cam moves inwardly relative to the common axis to cause the pair of tabs to enter the tab-receiving spaces to lock the hinge members, the means for coupling the actuator to the cam includes a mounting member, an actuator connector link, and a cam link, the actuator connector link is coupled through the mounting member to the actuator to rotate in the first direction about the common axis for radial movement of the tabs away from the common axis to withdraw the tabs from the tab-receiving spaces to allow the second hinge member to pivot relative to the first hinge member and to rotate in the second direction about the common axis for radial movement of the tabs toward the common axis to move the tabs into the tab-receiving spaces to block the second hinge member from pivoting relative to the first hinge member, further comprising a guide assembly arranged to guide movement of the cam, wherein the actuator connector link, the cam link, the cam, and the guide assembly cooperate to provide a lock to lock the first and second hinge members in a fixed position relative to one another, and wherein the guide assembly includes a first guide having a first arm and a second arm, a second guide having a third arm and is arranged for rotation about the common axis and is positioned between an annular flange portion of the first hinge member and an outer housing of the second hinge member. 7. A lockable ladder hinge comprising first and second hinge members coupled together for rotation about a common axis, a cam having a pair of tabs coupled to the second hinge member, the first hinge member having tab-receiving spaces, an actuator, means for coupling the actuator to the cam so that, when the actuator is moved in a first direction, the cam moves outwardly relative to the common axis to cause the pair of tabs to withdraw from the tab-receiving spaces to unlock the hinge members, and so that, when the actuator is moved in a second direction opposite to the first direction, the cam moves inwardly relative to the common axis to cause the pair of tabs to enter the tab-receiving spaces to lock the hinge members, and wherein the actuator includes a link receiver, the means for coupling the actuator to the cam includes an actuator link, and the actuator link is arranged for rotation about the common axis and is coupled to the link receiver and to a cam link coupled to the cam. 8. A lockable ladder hinge comprising first and second hinge members coupled together for rotation about a common axis, a lock having a pair of tabs coupled to the second hinge member, the first hinge member having tab-receiving spaces, and a knob coupled to the lock, the knob being arranged for movement in a first direction about the common axis so that the lock moves radially away from the common axis and the tabs withdraw from the tab-receiving spaces to allow movement of the first and second hinge members relative to one another about the common axis and arranged for movement in a second direction, opposite to the first direction, about the common axis so that the lock moves radially toward the common axis and the tabs are received in the lock-receiving spaces to block movement of the first and second hinge members relative to one another about the common axis, and wherein the lock includes a cam that provides the tabs and the second hinge member is formed to include a cam channel to receive the cam for radial movement relative to the common axis. 9. A lockable ladder hinge comprising first and second hinge members coupled together for rotation about a common axis, a lock having a pair of tabs coupled to the second hinge member, the first hinge member having tab-receiving spaces, and a knob coupled to the lock, the knob being arranged for movement in a first direction about the common axis so that the lock moves radially away from the common axis and the tabs withdraw from the tab-receiving spaces to allow movement of the first and second hinge members relative to one another about the common axis and arranged for movement in a second direction, opposite to the first direction, about the common axis so that the lock moves radially toward the common axis and the tabs are received in the lock-receiving spaces to block movement of the first and second hinge members relative to one another about the common axis, wherein the first hinge member includes a first segment, a second segment, and a pair of guide rings, each of the first and second segments is formed to include at an end thereof an annular flange portion, the pair of guide rings are arranged in side-by-side relationship to one another and between the annular flange portions of the first and second segments, and the first and second segments are coupled together to form the first hinge member, and wherein each guide ring has a first radius, each annular flange portion has a second radius, and the first radius is larger than the second radius. 10. A lockable ladder hinge comprising a hollow right attachment arm and a hollow left attachment arm, the right attachment arm including a cylindrical outer housing arranged at an end of the right attachment arm, the left attachment arm including an annular flange portion arranged at the end of the left attachment arm, the annular flange portion nesting within the cylindrical outer housing and being concentrically arranged with the cylindrical outer housing relative to an axis shaft included in the lockable ladder hinge, the annular flange portion including a circumferential edge formed to include a plurality of tab-receiving spaces, a cam that can fit into the tab-receiving spaces, the cam being arranged within the right attachment arm, the right attachment arm including side walls, each side wall including a slide channel, the cam being set into the slide channels, a cam link including a first end coupled to an end of the cam in a rotatable manner and a middle part coupled to the right attachment arm in a rotatable manner about a bearing pin included in the lockable ladder hinge, a torsion spring that urges the first end of the cam link toward the annular flange portion, the torsion spring being concentrically arranged with the bearing pin, an actuator connector link including a first end movably coupled to the cam link, a middle portion concentrically coupled to the axis shaft for rotation about a common axis defined by the axis shaft, and a second end formed to include a projecting portion that extends outwardly through an arcuately-shaped oblong aperture formed in the cylindrical outer housing, and an actuator that is arranged to rotate about the axis shaft and includes a connector link receiver to couple the actuator connector link to the actuator. 11. The lockable ladder hinge of claim 10, wherein the plurality of tab-receiving spaces includes first, second, and third tab-receiving spaces, the left and right attachment arms are aligned when the cam is received into the first tab-receiving space, define a 0째 angle therebetween when the cam is received into the second tab-receiving space, and define an acute angle therebetweeen when the cam is received into the third tab-receiving space. 12. The lockable ladder hinge of claim 11, further comprising a guide assembly including a first guide and a second guide concentrically arranged with one another to rotate about the common axis, wherein the first guide includes a first arm associated with the first tab-receiving space, a second arm associated with the second tab-receiving space, and a first arc-shaped slide slot, the second guide includes a spring retainer, a third arm associated with the third tab-receiving space, and a second arc-shaped slide slot, the annular flange portion including a tab extending into the first and second arc-shaped slide slots, the first and second arc-shaped slide slots overlap one another and the first arm confronts the top of the cam when the cam enters into the first tab-receiving space, a lower edge of the first arm projects beyond the circumferential edge of the annular flange portion, the second arm is arranged on the side of the second tab-receiving space closer to the first tab-receiving space, an end portion of the second arm is formed into an oblique arc surface so that the side of the oblique arc surface closer to the first arm is aligned with the circumferential edge of the annular flange portion or is positioned radially inwardly from the circumferential edge of the annular flange portion, the side of the oblique arc surface closer to the second tab-receiving space projects beyond the circumferential edge of the annular flange portion, the third arm overlies the third tab-receiving space, and a lower edge of the third arm projects beyond the circumferential edge of the annular flange portion so that the spring retainer is located between the first and second arms and a spring is arranged between the first arm and the spring retainer. 13. The lockable ladder hinge of claim 10, further comprising a guide ring and a retention clamp, wherein the annular flange portion includes first and second annular flange portion segments, the guide ring is sandwiched between the first and second annular flange portion segments and has a radius larger than that of the annular flange portion, the guide ring is formed to receive a U-shaped notch formed in the cam between two tabs of the cam, the width of the notch is equal to the thickness of the guide ring, the two tabs are received into the tab-receiving spaces on both sides of the guide ring, an arc-shaped opening is formed in the right attachment arm, and the retention clamp is coupled to the right attachment arm and includes a hook-shaped member which hooks into the arc-shaped opening. 14. The lockable ladder hinge of claim 10, further comprising a mounting member, wherein the mounting member is fixed on an outer side surface of the cylindrical outer housing between the actuator and the outer side surface, the mounting member includes a plurality of engagement tabs, the actuator includes a plurality of hook-shaped elements formed on an inner surface of the actuator, each hook-shaped element is associated with one of the engagement tabs, and an outer surface of the mounting member includes a projecting ear formed to be received by an aperture formed in the cylindrical outer housing. 15. The lockable ladder hinge of claim 14, wherein the mounting member is coupled to the outer side surface of the cylindrical outer housing, the mounting member is formed to include a notch that receives a portion of one of the slide channels, and a portion of the mounting member projects into the actuator. 16. The lockable ladder hinge of claim 14, wherein the actuator includes a knob, the knob and the mounting member are bowl-shaped so that open ends of the knob and the mounting member face one another, the mounting member has a smaller diameter than a diameter of the knob and is arranged to nest within the knob, the actuator includes a compression spring arranged between the knob and the mounting member to urge the knob away from the mounting member.
연구과제 타임라인
LOADING...
LOADING...
LOADING...
LOADING...
LOADING...
이 특허에 인용된 특허 (24)
Chiu Hsiu-Hui (Tainan Hsien TWX), Angle adjustment device for handle of stroller.
※ AI-Helper는 부적절한 답변을 할 수 있습니다.