HOLDING DEVICE WITH MULTIPLE SUCTION CUP

Abstract

Provided is a holding device comprising a suction-type plate assembly including a plurality of resilient plates each having a concave shape and extended from its enlarged middle part, a shaft extended from the middle part and extended away from the plates, the shaft having external threads; a bracket passed by the shaft; a bell disposed between the bracket and the plate assembly, the bell passed by the shaft; and a nut. Pressing the plate assembly onto a surface and pressing the shaft onto the bell to urge its edge against an edge of an adjacent one of the plates will create a vacuum between the surface and the bell, and driving the nut to secure to the shaft to urge against the bracket and in turn to urge the bracket against the bell will maximize a sucking force created by the vacuum for adhering the plate assembly to the surface.

Description

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention relates to suction cups and more particularly to a holding device having two suction-type plates and other improved characteristics such that a strong sucking force created in its operational state can last for a very long time.

RELATED ART

Holding devices (e.g., cup holders) incorporating suction cup are very popular nowadays due to its nondestructive feature, quick assembly, and other benefits. A conventional holder incorporating the principles of suction cup is shown in FIG. 1. The suction cup 1 is made of resilient material (e.g., soft plastics). In mounting, a user may put the suction cup 1 onto a surface (e.g., wall) prior to pressing the surface to create a vacuum by evacuating air therein. However, the peripheral edge of the suction cup 1 cannot completely adhere to the surface after installation (i.e., seal can only be maintained for a short time). As an end, the holder and thus an object hung thereon may fall onto the ground in a short time of use. This is not desirable.

Another prior holder incorporating the principles of suction cup as an improvement of the above one is shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. The holder comprises a plate 2 made of resilient material (e.g., soft plastics) and having a concave shape, the plate 2 adapted to adhere to a surface, a screw 3 extended from a center of the plate 2 and extended away from the surface, a bell 4 having its periphery attached to an edge of the plate 2 such that the shank of the screw 3 can extend through a central bore the bell 4, an L-shaped bracket 5 with its horizontal portion served as means for holding an object, and a nut 6 threadedly secured to outer threads of the shank of the screw 3 extended through an upper bore at a vertical portion of the bracket 5. In mounting, a user may put the plate 2 onto a surface (e.g., wall) prior to pressing the surface to create a vacuum by evacuating air therein. Next, drive the nut 6 for fastening the holder with the edge of the plate 2 being pressed by the bell 4 and thus the surface being pressed by the plate 2. Seal between the peripheral edge of the plate 2 and the surface can be maintained for a long time because the peripheral edge of the plate 2 is completely adhered to the surface after installation. However, it still has two disadvantages. That is, either its sucking force is not sufficient for holding a relatively heavy object or it is not durable because only one plate is provided. In one example, seal between the peripheral edge of the plate 2 and the surface can be compromised when a heavy object is hung on the holder. As an end, both the holder and the object fall onto the ground suddenly.

Thus, it is desirable to provide a durable, strong holding device with multiple suction cup in order to overcome the above drawbacks of prior art.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a holding device comprising a suction-type plate assembly including a plurality of resilient plates each having a concave shape and extended from its enlarged middle part, and a shaft extended from the middle part and extended away from the plates, the shaft having external threads and an annular flange; a bracket for holding one or more objects hung thereon being passed by the shaft; a bell disposed between the bracket and the plate assembly, the bell including an enlarged middle part and a bore through the middle part with the shaft extended through prior to passing the bracket; and a nut member having internal threads, whereby pressing the plate assembly onto a surface and pressing the shaft onto the bell to urge its edge against an edge of an adjacent one of the plates will create a vacuum between the surface and the bell, and driving the nut member to threadedly secure to the shaft to urge against the bracket and in turn to urge the bracket against the bell will maximize a sucking force created by the vacuum for adhering the plate assembly to the surface. By utilizing this, the holding device and thus a hung object can maintain in an operational state for a very long time.

In one aspect of the present invention rotate the nut member about 360 degrees about the shaft with the middle part of the plate assembly urged by the middle part of the bell at the end of threading will lock the holding device with the sucking force being maximum.

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a conventional holder;

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of another conventional holder;

FIG. 3 is an axial sectional view of the assembled holder of FIG. 2 in the operational state thereof;

FIG. 4 is an exploded view of a preferred embodiment of holding device according to the invention;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the assembled holding device of FIG. 4;

FIGS. 6, 7, 8, and 9 are axial sectional views illustrating four sequential steps of adhering the holding device of FIG. 4 to a surface; and

FIG. 10 is a sectional view taken along line A-A of FIG. 9.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, there is shown a holding device in accordance with the invention comprising a suction-type plate assembly 10 including first and second plates 11 and 12 each made of resilient material (e.g., soft plastics) and having a concave shape, and extended from its enlarged middle part, a shaft 13 extended from the middle part and extended away from both the first and second plates 11 and 12, the shaft 13 having external threads adjacent its free end, and an annular flange formed adjacent the threads of the shaft 13, the flange having an arc-shaped surface and two opposite notches 14 on the arc-shaped surface (see FIG. 10); a bell 20 having an enlarged middle part; an L-shaped bracket 30 with its horizontal portion served as means for holding an object, and a cylindrical nut member 40 including three bars equally spaced apart around its circumferential surface for ease of being operated by the hand, a cylindrical recess having two opposite flexible tabs 41 formed on a periphery of its annular bottom, and an internally threaded section formed on a cavity further inside the recess. Note that the bracket 30 may be shaped other than above in other embodiments for holding one or more different objects thereon. In assembly, first engage the periphery of the bell 20 with an edge of the second plate 12 such that the shaft 13 can extend through a central bore the bell 20. Next, further extend the shaft 13 through an upper bore at a vertical portion of the bracket 30 until the middle part of the plate assembly 10 is urged by the bracket 30. Finally, drive the nut member 40 to threadedly secure to the shaft 13.

Referring to FIG. 6, in installation a user may put the plate assembly 10 onto a surface (e.g., wall) prior to pressing the shaft 13 and thus both the first and second plates 11 and 12 to create a vacuum by evacuating air in both the first and second plates 11 and 12. At this state, both the first and second plates 11 and 12 are substantially completely adhered to the surface.

Referring to FIG. 7, assemble the bell 20, the bracket 30, and nut member 40 by traversing steps discussed with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4. At this state, both the first and second plates 11 and 12 are still substantially completely adhered to the surface.

Referring to FIG. 8, rotate the nut member 40 about 180 degrees about the shaft 13 to urge the periphery of the bell 20 against the edge of the second plate 12 for maintaining a vacuum in a space defined by the bell 20 and the second plate 12. Also, the middle part of the plate assembly 10 moves toward the middle part of the bell 20 as threading continues. This further increases a vacuum in the space defined by the bell 20 and the second plate 12, a vacuum in a space defined by the first and second plates 11 and 12, and a vacuum in a space defined by the first plate 11 and the surface respectively. In other words, sucking force of each of the first and second plates 11 and 12 is increased gradually.

Referring to FIG. 9, further rotate the nut member 40 about 180 degrees about the shaft 13 with the middle part of the plate assembly 10 urged by the middle part of the bell 20 at the end of threading (i.e., fastened). At this state, the free end of the shaft 13 contacts a blind end of the innermost cavity of the nut member 40. Also, the portion of the shaft 13 extended into the nut member 40 is a maximum. A vacuum created by the bell 20 and the surface thus reaches a maximum. In other words, sucking force of each of the first and second plates 11 and 12 reaches its own maximum. This can maintain a seal between the peripheral edges of both the plate assembly 10 and the bell 20 and the surface for a long time because they are completely adhered to the surface. As a result, the holding device and thus a hung object can maintain in this operational state for a very long time as long as the object is still hung thereon (i.e., durable).

Referring to FIG. 10, in the above fastened state of the holding device the tabs 41 enter into the notches 14 by snapping (i.e., locked).

Note that pitch of the threads of the shaft 13 or the nut member 40 is relatively long. This facilitates a quick installation or disassembly of the holding device.

While the invention herein disclosed has been described by means of specific embodiments, numerous modifications and variations could be made thereto by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention set forth in the claims.

Claims

1. A holding device comprising:

a suction-type plate assembly including a plurality of resilient plates each having a concave shape and extended from its enlarged middle part, and a shaft extended from the middle part and extended away from the plates, the shaft having external threads and an annular flange;

a bracket for holding one or more objects hung thereon being passed by the shaft; and

a nut member having internal threads,

whereby pressing the plate assembly onto a surface and pressing the shaft onto the plates will create a vacuum between the surface and the plate assembly, and driving the nut member to secure to the shaft and urge against the bracket will maximize a sucking force created by the vacuum for adhering the plate assembly to the surface.

2. The holding device of claim 1, further comprising a bell disposed between the bracket and the plate assembly, the bell including an enlarged middle part and a bore through the middle part, and wherein the shaft extends through the bore prior to passing the bracket and securing to the nut member, and an edge of the bell is urged against an edge of an adjacent one of the plates in response to driving the nut member to secure to the shaft.

3. The holding device of claim 1, wherein a pitch of the threads of either the shaft or the nut member is long.

4. The holding device of claim 1, wherein the nut member further comprises two opposite flexible tabs formed on its internal shoulder, and the flange includes an arc-shaped surface and two opposite notches formed on the arc-shaped surface, the notches adapted to lockingly engage with the tabs at the end of driving the nut member to secure to the shaft.

5. The holding device of claim 1, wherein the number of the plates is two.

6. The holding device of claim 1, wherein the bracket is of L-shaped.