Miscellaneous hardware (e.g. – bushing – carpet fastener – caster – Handle – handle component – or handle adjunct – Luggage-type
Reexamination Certificate
2001-09-06
2003-06-24
Will, Thomas B. (Department: 3671)
Miscellaneous hardware (e.g., bushing, carpet fastener, caster,
Handle, handle component, or handle adjunct
Luggage-type
C016S334000, C016S900000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06581245
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a foldable handle assembly, and more particularly to a foldable handle assembly installed on a panel of an appliance.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A typical foldable handle assembly principally includes a handle for grasping. When the handle is operated to a folded position, the handle is securely stored. When the handle is operated to an upright position, the handle is securely held and accessible for a user to pull the appliance.
A power supply module has a foldable handle assembly mounted on a panel thereof, and thus it can be pulled out for checking and repairing the components therewithin. Please refer to FIGS.
1
(
a
) and
1
(
b
). The typical foldable handle assembly includes a handle
10
, two connecting devices
12
, two balls
13
, two resilience devices
14
and two shafts
15
. The two ends of the handle
10
are arc-shaped, wherein each has two recesses
101
,
102
and a hole
104
. The recess
101
and recess
102
are respectively disposed on the tip and a side surface of the arc-shaped end. The connecting device
12
is principally cup-shaped, wherein its shell has a notch
124
and two openings
122
,
123
corresponding to the hole
104
and the shaft
15
. The connecting device
12
further includes a male-screwed post
121
formed on the bottom surface thereof. A resilience device receptacle
127
is disposed on a top surface of male-screwed post
121
, as can be seen in FIG.
1
(
c
), for receiving the resilience device
14
and the ball
13
. Referring to FIG.
1
(
c
), when the handle
10
is operated to an upright position, i.e. a position for pulling the appliance, the ball
13
is inserted into the first ball recess
101
by the resilience force generated from the resilience device
14
and thus the handle
10
is securely held in the upright position. When the handle
10
is operated to a stored position, the handle
10
is folded through the notch
124
and the ball
13
is inserted into the second ball recess
102
by the resilience force generated from the resilience device
14
and thus the handle
10
is securely held in the stored position. FIG.
1
(
d
) is a schematic view illustrating that a typical handle assembly is coupled to a panel
161
of an appliance by passing the male-screwed posts
121
through bores
162
of the panel
161
and then fastening the male-screwed posts
121
on the panel
161
with corresponding hexagonal nuts
163
.
Although the above-mentioned foldable handle assembly is capable of being securely held either in an upright position or a folded position, it still has some drawbacks as follows:
1. For fastening the male-screwed posts
121
on the panel
161
, a corresponding hexagonal sleeve (not shown) is required to rotate the hexagonal nuts
163
. The nuts are typically operated manually, which is labor-intensive and time-consuming. In addition, the hexagonal sleeve is not a common tool in a production line.
2. The connection of the male-screwed post
121
and the nut
163
occupies partly the interior space of the appliance, which is disadvantageous for miniaturization of the appliance.
3. Sine the male-screwed post
121
and the nut
163
are usually made of metal, extra insulation is needed for preventing operators from getting electrical shock and for avoiding electrical connection of the nut
163
and the electronic components within the appliance, which is costly.
4. Since the receptacle
127
is formed by drilling off a portion of the male-screwed post
121
, it is found that the strength thereon is weak and the handle assembly is easily broken when the appliance is very weighty.
Therefore, the present invention provides an improved foldable handle assembly so as to overcome the problems described above.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a foldable handle assembly, which is connected to a panel by a commonly used screw bolt.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a foldable handle assembly for saving interior space of an appliance when the foldable handle assembly is coupled with the panel of the appliance.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a foldable handle assembly to avoid electrical connection with electronic components within the appliance.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a foldable handle assembly to increase strength where it is connected to the panel.
In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a foldable handle assembly installed on a panel of an appliance. The foldable handle assembly includes a handle, two connecting devices, two resilience devices, two balls and two shafts. Each end of the handle has a resilience device receptacle and protrudes to form two parallel plates, wherein each plate has a hole. Each of the resilience devices is disposed within the resilience device receptacle. Each of the balls is in contact with the resilience device. Each of the connecting devices includes a base and a projecting post wherein the projecting post has a first ball receptacle and a second ball receptacle corresponding to the resilience device receptacle and a channel corresponding to the hole, and the base has a screwed recess for being fastened on the panel. Each of the shafts is inserted into the hole and the channel as a pivot. When the handle is operated such that the ball is inserted into the first ball receptacle, the handle is securely held in a first position, and when the handle is operated such that the ball is inserted into the second ball receptacle, the handle is securely held in a second position.
Preferably, the first ball receptacle and the second ball receptacle are disposed on a tip and a side surface of the projecting post, respectively.
Preferably, the resilience device is a spring.
Preferably, the shaft is a pin.
Preferably, the first position is an upright position and the second position is a folded position.
Preferably, the appliance is a power supply module.
Preferably, the appliance is one of a drawer and a brief case.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a foldable handle assembly installed on a panel of a power supply module. The foldable handle assembly includes a handle, two connecting devices, two resilience devices, two balls and two shafts, and is characterized in that: each end of the handle has a resilience device receptacle and protrudes to form two parallel plates wherein each plate has a hole; each of the resilience devices is disposed within the resilience device receptacle; each of the balls is in contact with the resilience device; each of the connecting devices includes a base and a projecting post wherein the projecting post has a first ball receptacle and a second ball receptacle respectively disposed on a tip and a side surface of the projecting post and a channel corresponding to the hole, and the base has a screwed recess for being fastened on the panel; and each of the shafts is inserted into the hole and the channel as a pivot, wherein when the handle is operated such that the ball is inserted into the first ball receptacle, the handle is securely held in an upright position, and when the handle is operated such that the ball is inserted into the second ball receptacle, the handle is securely held in a folded.
The above objects and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent to those ordinarily skilled in the art after reviewing the following detailed description and accompanying drawings, in which:
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patent: 3082473 (1963-03-01), West
patent: 4271731 (1981-06-01), Suligoy et al.
patent: 5168601 (1992-12-01), Liu
patent: 5412842 (1995-05-01), Riblett
patent: 5887927 (1999-03-01), Kurek, III et al.
patent: 6318741 (2001-11-01), Chen
patent: 6341406 (2002-01-01), Beckman
patent: 6401301 (2002-06-01), Hung
Delta Electronics , Inc.
Fay Sharpe Fagan Minnich & McKee LLP
Mayo Tara L.
Will Thomas B.
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