A support arm system (10) includes a socket (16) for attachment to a surface (18) and a support arm (14), for removable insertion in the socket (16). The support arm (14) has at least one formation (22). The socket (16) includes a housing (28) having an insertion opening (30) leading to a passage (3
A support arm system (10) includes a socket (16) for attachment to a surface (18) and a support arm (14), for removable insertion in the socket (16). The support arm (14) has at least one formation (22). The socket (16) includes a housing (28) having an insertion opening (30) leading to a passage (32) for insertion of the support arm (14). At least one formation (34) in the passage (32) complementary to the at least one formation (22) on the support arm (14) is provided to engage the support arm (14) when the support arm (14) is in the socket (16). A gate element (36) in the passage (32) is biased to a position at or in front of said at least one formation (34) in the passage. To insert the support arm (14), the gate element (36) must be pushed against its bias to expose the formation in the passage for engagement by the support arm (14) to retain the support arm in the socket, the gate element (36) providing a positive force between the support arm (14) and socket (16) while it is so retained. In another form of the invention, a gate element (126) is moveable in the housing and has a periphery complementary to the insertion opening. This gate element (126) is pushed by the support arm against its bias to allow insertion of the support arm into the socket and to allow the respective formations to be brought into engagement to retain the support arm in the socket. When the support arm is not in the socket, the gate element (126) provides a substantially flush surface with the front surface of the housing.
대표청구항▼
1. A support arm system, including: a socket for attachment to a surface and a support arm, for removable insertion in the socket, the support arm having at least one formation, the socket including:a housing having an insertion opening leading to a passage for insertion of the support arm;at least
1. A support arm system, including: a socket for attachment to a surface and a support arm, for removable insertion in the socket, the support arm having at least one formation, the socket including:a housing having an insertion opening leading to a passage for insertion of the support arm;at least one formation two shoulder formations projecting into said passage, each extending from one side of the passage to the other, complementary to said at least one formation on the support arm to engage the support arm when the support arm is in the socket; anda gate element in the passage biased to a position at or in front of said shoulder formations at least one formation in said passage;wherein, to insert the support arm, the gate element must be pushed against its bias to slidingly travel along said passage to expose said formation shoulder formations in said passage, whereby rotation of the support arm engages said at least one formation on the support arm with said shoulder formations in the passage for engagement by the support arm to retain the support arm in the socket, the gate element providing a positive force between the support arm and socket while it is so retained. 2. A support arm system according to claim 1, wherein the socket is fixed to a vertical surface, at least when in use. 3. A support arm system according to claim 2, wherein the surface includes an aperture to allow the socket to sit within the surface. 4. A support arm system according to claim 1, wherein the insertion opening and the cross-section of the support arm are circular. 5. A support arm system according to claim 4, wherein the outside of the housing is of a corresponding shape to said insertion opening and said element. 6. A support arm system according to claim 1, wherein the gate element is biased by a spring. 7. A support arm system according to claim 6, wherein the spring pushes against an internal rear surface of the socket housing. 8. A support arm system according to claim 1, wherein the formation on the support arm is a T-shaped protrusion projecting axially from an end of the support arm. 9. A support arm systems according to claim 8, wherein the T-shaped protrusion includes an axial post and two formations projecting laterally from the axial post, whereby the two formations fit within the internal circumference of the socket passage. 10. A support arm system according to claim 1, wherein the support arm is axially inserted into the socket before being rotated to engage the shoulder formations shoulders. 11. A support arm system according to claim 10, wherein said rotation is about 90°. 12. A support arm system according to claim 1, wherein the insertion opening leads to a passage in the housing along which said gate element travels and into which the support arm is inserted. 13. A support arm system according to claim 12, wherein projections on the gate clement arc complementary to channels in the passage walls, to assist in the alignment of the travel of the element. 14. A support arm system according to claim 1, wherein said positive force is provided by said bias that pushes the gate against the end of the support arm. 15. A support arm system according to claim 14, wherein said positive force must be overcome before the support arm can be disengaged from said shoulder formations in said passage for removal from the socket. 16. A support arm system according to claim 15, wherein said positive force is provided by the means biasing the gate element to said position at or in front of said shoulder formations, and is overcome by pushing the support arm further into said passage to push the gate element further back. 17. A support arm system according to claim 1, wherein to disengage the support arm from said shoulder formations in said passage for removal from the socket, the gate element is first pushed further back by the support arm. 18. A support arm system according to claim 1 wherein, when the support arm has been inserted into the socket and the formations engaged to retain the support arm therein, the support arm projects cantilever-fashion from the socket. 19. A support arm system according to claim 1, further including means on the support arm to retain items on the support arm. 20. A support arm system according to claim 1, further including means to mount said socket in an aperture of a panel. 21. A support arm system according to claim 1, wherein the gate includes a front surface and two rear flanges, whereby, when an arm is not inserted, the front surface aligns with the front surface of the shoulder formations and the rear flanges abut against the rear surface of the shoulder formations. 22. A support arm system, including: a socket for attachment to a surface and a support arm, for removable insertion in the socket, the support arm having at least one formation, the socket including:a housing having a front surface and an insertion opening in the front surface for receiving the support arm;a formation including an undercut portion behind said insertion opening complementary to said at least one formation on the support arm and engageable therewith when the support arm is inserted into the socket for retaining the support arm in the socket; anda gate element moveable in said housing and having a periphery complementary to the insertion opening, said element being biased in a direction into said insertion opening from behind;wherein said gate element is pushed by the support arm against its bias to allow insertion of the support arm into the socket and to allow said respective formations to be brought into engagement to retain the support arm in the socket, and wherein, when the support arm is not in the socket, said gate element provides a substantially flush surface with the front surface of the housing. 23. A support arm system according to claim 22, wherein the socket is fixed to a vertical surface, at least when in use. 24. A support arm system according to claim 23, wherein the surface includes an aperture to allow the socket to sit within the surface. 25. A support arm system according to claim 24, wherein a socket is provided on both sides of a vertical panel. 26. A support arm system according to claim 22, wherein the insertion opening and the gate element are rectangular. 27. A support arm system according to claim 22 or 26, wherein the outside of the housing is of a corresponding shape to said insertion opening and said element. 28. A support arm system according to claim 22 or 26, wherein the outside of the housing is of a differing shape to the insertion opening and said element. 29. A support arm system according to claim 22, wherein the gate element is biased by a spring. 30. A support arm system according to claim 29, wherein the spring pushes against an internal rear surface of the socket housing. 31. A support arm system according to claim 22, wherein the insertion opening leads to a passage in the housing along which said gate element travels and into which the support arm is inserted. 32. A support arm system according to claim 31, wherein projections on the gate element are complementary to channels in the passage walls, to assist in the alignment of the travel of the element. 33. A support arm system according to claim 22, wherein the at least one formation on the support arm is an upwardly extending projection. 34. A support arm system according to claim 33, wherein the support arm is presented at an upward angle such that the support arm pushes said gate element away from the front surface as the support arm is inserted into the insertion opening. 35. A support arm system according to claim 34, wherein the upwardly extending projection engages in the undercut portion and the support arm is lowered into a near horizontal orientation. 36. A support arm system according to 22, wherein said gate element is prevented, by a shoulder, from being pushed past a point, such that the lower part of the support arm end face cannot move further, to create the cantilever lock for the support arm. 37. A support arm system according to claim 36, wherein said bias pushes the gate element against the back of the projection to create a positive engagement between the socket and the support arm. 38. A support arm system according to claim 22, wherein a deformable lug is provided on the lower side of the insertion opening, and the gate element has a corresponding recess to allow it to move over said lug, and wherein the support arm further includes a second formation on its underside with which the lug engages to restrain upward movement of the support arm. 39. A support arm system according to claim 22, wherein, when the support arm has been inserted into the socket and the formations engaged to retain the support arm therein, the support arm projects cantilever-fashion from the socket. 40. A support arm system according to claim 22, further including means on the support arm to retain items on the support arm. 41. A support arm system according to claim 22, further including a connection device on the support arm for connecting other components to the support arm. 42. A support arm system according to claim 22, further including means to mount said socket in an aperture of a panel.
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