JPH0511706A - Axle lock device - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Abstract] [Purpose] To provide an axis lock device for fixing the position of a rotating body such as a display board used in a tabletop device such as a laptop computer at an arbitrary angle with respect to a substrate. [Structure] A rotating shaft having both ends rotatably supported by a bracket fixed to a base and having at least one end a connecting part to be connected to a rotating body has the same winding direction in which one end is engaged with the bracket. The free end sides of the two torsion springs are fitted in close contact with each other.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention is for fixing a rotated body such as a display board used in a tabletop device such as a laptop personal computer at a desired angle to a base provided with a keyboard and the like. The present invention relates to a shaft lock device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A display board, which is generally used in a desktop device such as a laptop computer or a personal word processor, is normally stored in a closed state on a base equipped with a keyboard and is used in an open state from the base. It However, the display panel in such a tabletop device has a problem that the light such as illumination is reflected by the screen of the display panel and enters the eyes of the user, depending on the conditions such as the usage state and place of use of the tabletop device, and the characters on the screen are displayed. Since it may be difficult to see pictures and pictures, it is required that the display board and the like can be fixed in position with respect to the base at an arbitrary angle.

In order to meet such requirements, a shaft locking device for fixing the position of a display board or the like at an arbitrary angle with respect to a substrate is, for example, Ukaihei 1-135397.
In the article, "a movable shaft, fixed shafts having the same diameter as the movable shaft and provided on both sides of the movable shaft, and springs externally fitted to the movable shaft and the fixed shaft are provided. A shaft locking device characterized by the above.

In this shaft locking device, there is only one spring that is externally inserted into the movable shaft and the fixed shaft in close contact with each other, and both ends of the spring are free ends. It is externally inserted in close contact with the fixed shaft that is externally inserted in the small diameter part of the, and when the movable shaft rotates to one side, the spring in the part externally inserted in close contact with one fixed shaft contracts. A lock torque is generated, and the spring in the portion externally fitted in close contact with the other fixed shaft expands to generate slip torque.The sum of this lock torque and slip torque acts on the movable shaft. To do so.

[0005]

However, in such a shaft lock device, one spring is externally attached to the movable shaft and the fixed shafts on both sides of the movable shaft sandwiching the central large-diameter portion in close contact with each other. Since it is necessary to have a large number of turns, that is, a spring with a long free length, the large diameter part at the center of the movable shaft, which is the part where the spring with a long free length is closely fitted, and the fixed shafts on both sides of it. Means that the outer diameters of the springs must be substantially the same, so the manufacturing accuracy of the movable shaft and the fixed shaft must be very high, and the manufacturing cost is high. Since it has a free end and has a long free length, it has a drawback that it imposes a great burden on the work of extrapolating the movable shaft and the fixed shaft in close contact with each other.
Further, in this shaft lock device, when the movable shaft is rotated, the spring rotates integrally with the movable shaft and at the same time, the diameter of one side is reduced at the portion which is externally attached in close contact with the fixed shafts on both sides, thereby providing the lock torque. The resulting structure also had the drawback of being very cumbersome to design and manage. An object of the present invention is to provide a shaft locking device which does not have such drawbacks, has a small number of parts, is inexpensive, and can be easily manufactured and assembled.

[0006]

As a result of earnest studies to solve the above problems, the present inventor has conducted a research on the connecting portion which is rotatably supported on both sides by a bracket fixed to a base and is connected to a rotating body at least at one end. If the structure is such that two free end sides of the torsion springs having the same winding direction that are engaged with one end of the bracket are fitted to the rotating shaft having The spring fitted in close contact is a torsion spring with a short free length, and since it is a torsion spring, it is easy to fit the torsion spring onto the rotating shaft by utilizing the engaging part provided at one end. Since the torsion spring is externally fitted to the rotating shaft only, it does not require a set of two fixed shafts and one movable shaft, which have extremely high manufacturing accuracy, and can rotate. The magnitude of the torque acting on the torsion spring is not rotated because one end of the torsion spring is engaged with the bracket, so it was clarified that each torsion spring could be easily obtained and the design and management could be facilitated. Of.

The shaft locking device according to the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is an explanatory view showing an assembled state of an embodiment of a shaft locking device according to the present invention in a cross section from the center of a rotary shaft to a lower part, FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG. 1, and FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view showing the configuration of the shaft locking device shown in FIGS. 2 and 5, and FIG. 4 is an explanatory view showing the assembled state of another embodiment of the shaft locking device according to the present invention in a section from the center of the rotating shaft to the lower side. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line BB in FIG. 4, FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view showing the configuration of the axis locking device shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, and FIG. 7 is the axis locking device according to the present invention attached to a laptop computer. It is a perspective view which shows a state which notched the attachment part.

In the drawings, reference numeral 1 denotes a bracket fixed to the base X. As the bracket 1, it is common to use two sets of metal plates having an L-shaped cross section as shown in FIGS. As shown in FIGS. 4 to 6, two sets of L-shaped metal plates may be integrally formed to have a U-shaped cross section.

Reference numeral 2 denotes a rotary shaft which is rotatably supported on both sides by the bracket 1 and has at least one end a connecting portion 2a which is connected to a rotated body Y such as a display board. The rotary shaft 2 is separated from the bracket 1. Since the position is fixed by the retaining ring 3 so as not to exist, a mounting groove for the retaining ring 3 or the like is provided as necessary.

Reference numeral 4 denotes two torsion springs having one end engaged with the bracket 1 and having the same winding direction, and one end engaged with the bracket 1 is provided with a hook 4a. Is bracket 1
The pin 1a fixed by means such as caulking or the like is provided with a bent portion 4b, and the bent portion 4b is inserted into the engaging hole 1b formed in the bracket 1. The brackets 1 are configured to be fitted together, and the free end sides opposite to the side where one end is engaged with the bracket 1 are fitted onto the rotary shaft 2 in close contact with each other.

[0011]

In the shaft lock device according to the present invention having such a structure, the rotary shaft 2 having the connecting portion 2a which is connected to the rotating body Y at least at one end is rotated at both sides by the bracket 1 fixed to the base X. It is rotatably supported, and the free ends of two torsion springs 4 having one end engaged with the bracket 1 and the same winding direction on the rotary shaft 2 are externally fitted in close contact with each other. When the rotated body Y is rotated with respect to the base X, the rotation shaft 2 is rotated by the same angle as the rotation angle of the rotated body Y with respect to the base X,
As a result, one of the torsion springs 4 tightens against the rotating shaft 2 to lock the rotating shaft 2, and the other torsion spring 4 loosens and slips with respect to the rotating shaft 2. Therefore, the torque required to rotate the rotated body Y is equal to or more than the sum of the lock torque of the one torsion spring 4 and the loosening torque of the other torsion spring 4, and if the angle is arbitrary. When the rotary body Y is released, the moment of the rotary body Y is determined by the weight of the rotary body Y and the position of the center of gravity and the angular position. Therefore, the shaft lock device should have a total torque equal to or larger than this moment. For example, the rotated body Y can be fixed at that position. This action is the same regardless of whether the rotating body Y rotates in the direction away from or toward the base X. If the specifications of the two torsion springs 4 are exactly the same, the total torque possessed by this shaft locking device approaches the rotating body Y even if the rotating direction of the rotated body Y is away from the base X. Even so, it will be the same.

[0012]

According to the shaft locking device of the present invention having the above-described structure, a rotary shaft having at least one end thereof a connecting part for connecting to a body to be rotated is rotatable on both sides by a bracket fixed to a base. The structure is such that the free ends of two torsion springs, one end of which is engaged with the bracket on the rotary shaft and have the same winding direction, are externally fitted in close contact with each other. Two
The two torsion springs are fitted onto the rotary shaft in close contact with each other. Usually, the number of turns is about 2 to 3, so the free length is very short, so the work to fit onto the rotary shaft in close contact is very easy. Moreover, in this work, since an engaging portion such as a hook or a bent portion is provided on the side of the torsion spring which is engaged with the bracket, the inner diameter of the torsion spring is expanded by utilizing this engaging portion. A force can be applied in the direction to easily fit the rotary shaft in a close contact state. Since the structure is such that two torsion springs are externally fitted onto one rotary shaft in a close contact state, the total torque of the shaft locking device can be easily changed by individually changing the specifications of the two torsion springs. It has the advantage that it can be easily applied to various tabletop devices.
Further, unlike the conventional shaft lock device, a set of a movable shaft and two fixed shafts, which are required to have extremely high manufacturing accuracy, is not necessary, and the torsion spring does not rotate even when the rotating shaft is rotated. Further, it has an advantage that it is easy to design and manage, and the industrial value of the shaft lock device according to the present invention having such an effect is very great.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory view showing an assembled state of an embodiment of a shaft lock device according to the present invention in a section from the center of a rotary shaft to a lower part.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line AA in FIG.

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view showing the configuration of the shaft lock device shown in FIGS.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory view showing an assembled state of another embodiment of the shaft locking device according to the present invention in a cross-section downward from the center of the rotating shaft.

5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line BB in FIG.

FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view showing the configuration of the shaft lock device shown in FIGS.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a state in which the shaft lock device according to the present invention is attached to a laptop personal computer, with its attachment portion cut away.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 bracket 1a pin 1b Engagement hole 2 rotation axes 2a connection part 3 retaining rings 4 torsion spring 4a hook 4b Bent section X foundation Y Rotating body

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A rotating body rotatably supported on both sides by a bracket (1) fixed to a base (X), and at least one end of the body being rotated.
Rotating shaft having a connecting portion (2a) to be connected to (Y)
In (2), two torsion springs (4) having one end engaged with the bracket (1) and having the same winding direction are externally fitted so that their free end sides are in close contact with each other. Axis locking device. 2. The bracket (1) is a metal plate 2 having an L-shaped cross section.
The shaft locking device according to claim 1, comprising a set. 3. A shaft locking device according to claim 1, wherein the bracket (1) is made of a metal plate having a U-shaped cross section. 4. A torsion spring (4) is provided at each end with a hook (4a), and this hook (4a) is engaged with a pin (1a) fixed to the bracket (1). The shaft lock device according to any one of claims 1 to 3. 5. The torsion spring (4) is provided with a bent portion (4b) at one end thereof, and the bent portion (4b) is formed in the bracket (1) in an engagement hole (1b). The shaft lock device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, which is inserted into and engaged with the shaft lock device.