TWI900981B - Lifting Column - Google Patents

Abstract

A lifting column comprises a column, a housing assembly, a plurality of first bearings, and a second roller. The column has an outer wall formed on one side, and first and second inclined surfaces formed on the other end edges opposite the outer wall. The housing assembly is slidably mounted on the column and is composed of a first and second housing. The first housing has an inner wall that contacts the outer wall, and the inner surface of the second housing is further formed. A first inclined wall surface and a second inclined wall surface are formed. The first inclined wall surface is in contact with the first inclined surface, and the second inclined wall surface is in contact with the second inclined surface. A first bearing is correspondingly assembled on an outer wall of the first housing so that the first bearing is in rollable contact with the outer wall. A second roller is correspondingly assembled on the first and second inclined walls so that the second roller is in rollable contact with the first and second inclined surfaces.

Description

Lifting Columns

The present invention relates to a lifting bollard, particularly a lifting bollard that can significantly improve stability during lifting.

Traditional lifting mechanisms consist of a rectangular or circular cylinder combined with a housing assembly, or they may be directly composed of a hydraulic cylinder and housing assembly. The lifting mechanism of a traditional medical operating table is the primary component that drives the operating table. The lifting mechanism should avoid swaying, rocking, or tilting, especially when the table reaches the top. This is especially true for medical beds where the lifting mechanism is not centrally located. Therefore, maintaining a smooth and stable lifting mechanism without tilting is a major challenge in the industry.

Current technology uses wear-resistant components between the column and housing assembly. However, due to the long periods of ascent and descent of the lift mechanism, these components are constantly worn out and must be frequently replaced, increasing costs. Furthermore, since this type of lift mechanism requires a motor to drive it during the descent stroke, it consumes considerable energy.

There's another type of lifting mechanism currently on the market that eliminates the need for wear-resistant components. However, this type of lifting mechanism uses multiple ball bearings between the column and the housing assembly. The housing assembly is composed of a front and rear housing, which are then locked together with multiple screws. However, this mechanism is prone to loosening and mismatching during assembly due to insufficient locking of the front and rear housings. This results in instability during lifting and lowering, and the ball bearings between the column and the housing assembly are also prone to falling.

Therefore, how to resolve the above-mentioned usage problems and shortcomings is what manufacturers in this industry are urgently looking for improvement.

Therefore, in order to effectively solve the above-mentioned problems, the main purpose of this invention is to provide a lifting column that can significantly improve the stability during lifting.

A secondary object of the present invention is to provide a lifting column with energy-saving effects.

A secondary object of the present invention is to provide a lifting column that significantly improves the firmness of the housing assembly and avoids the problem of loosening of the housing assembly.

A secondary object of the present invention is to provide a lifting column that avoids the problem of bearing loosening and falling.

To achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention provides a lifting column, which includes a column, a shell assembly, a plurality of first bearings and a plurality of second rollers. A shaft is provided at the center of the column to slide up and down, and an outer wall is formed on one side of the column. Two end edges of the other side opposite to the outer wall are respectively formed with a first inclined surface and a second inclined surface. The shell assembly is slidably mounted on the column and is composed of a first shell and a second shell. The first shell has an inner wall surface that is in contact with the outer wall. The inner side surface of the second shell further forms a first inclined wall surface and a second inclined wall surface. The first inclined wall surface is in contact with the outer wall. The first inclined surface and the second inclined wall surface correspond to and contact the second inclined surface. The first bearings are correspondingly assembled on one outer wall of the first housing and are configured to rollably engage with the outer wall. The second rollers are correspondingly assembled on the first and second inclined walls of the second housing and are configured to rollably engage with the first and second inclined surfaces. The present invention is designed such that the lower housing is coupled to the second rollers to form a fixed coupling surface between the first and second inclined surfaces. An adjusting member is used to tighten the first bearing to the outer wall of the column. This tightening of the first bearing securely clamps the column and prevents loosening or deflection.

In one embodiment, the outer wall of the column is further recessed to form a concave portion, with two sides of the concave portion forming a first wall surface and a second wall surface respectively.

In one embodiment, the second housing is composed of an upper housing and a lower housing, and the first and second inclined walls are formed on the lower housing.

In one embodiment, a plurality of slots are formed on the first and second inclined walls of the lower housing, and the second rollers are mounted in the slots accordingly.

In one embodiment, the outer wall of the first housing further forms at least one assembly portion, which is provided with a plurality of grooves and at least one through-hole. The first bearings are correspondingly disposed within the grooves, and the first bearings are configured to rollably engage with the first and second wall surfaces.

In one embodiment, there are multiple adjusting members, which are rotatably disposed correspondingly in the through-holes and pass through the first bearing.

In one embodiment, the first housing further forms a first sidewall and a second sidewall, and the second housing further forms a third sidewall and a fourth sidewall, wherein the first sidewall is oppositely affixed to the third sidewall, and the second sidewall is oppositely affixed to the fourth sidewall.

In one embodiment, a plurality of holes are formed on the first, second, third, and fourth side walls, and a plurality of locking members are inserted through the holes to tightly fit the first and second housings.

In one embodiment, the first and second inclined surfaces have an angle of 40 to 50 degrees.

In one embodiment, the optimal angle of the first and second inclined surfaces is 45 degrees.

With this structural design, when the housing assembly is assembled and mounted on the column, the first bearing and second roller allow the housing assembly to slide smoothly on the column. Furthermore, during the lowering stroke, the housing assembly descends smoothly without requiring additional energy. This significantly improves the stability and rigidity of the housing assembly during lifting, while also significantly saving energy. Furthermore, the housing assembly achieves a tight fit, preventing loosening. Furthermore, with the first bearing positioned in the groove and the second roller in the slot, the groove and slot design provide a position-limiting function, preventing the bearings from loosening and falling.

1: Lifting Column

10: Column

100:Outer wall

101: First Incline

102:Second slope

103: concave part

104: First Wall

105: Second Wall

11: Housing assembly

12: First Shell

120: Inner wall

121: Outer wall

122: First side wall

123: Second side wall

124: Organization Department

125: Groove

126: Perforation

13: Second shell

130: Upper shell

131: Lower housing

1310: First Sloping Wall

1311: Second inclined wall

1312: Slot

1313: Third side wall

1314: Fourth side wall

14: Holes

2: Shaft

3: Lock the firmware

4: First bearing

5: Second roller

6: Adjustment parts

Figure 1 is a 3D assembly diagram of the lifting column of the present invention; Figure 2 is a 3D exploded diagram of the lifting column of the present invention; Figure 3 is a 3D exploded diagram of the lifting column of the present invention from another angle; Figure 4 is a 3D exploded diagram of the first housing of the present invention; and Figure 5 is a 3D exploded diagram of the lower housing of the present invention.

The above-mentioned objectives of the present invention and its structural and functional characteristics will be explained with reference to the preferred embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings.

The following describes in detail the structure and technical aspects of the lifting column of the present invention by listing various applicable examples and referring to the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is certainly not limited to the listed embodiments, drawings, or detailed descriptions.

Furthermore, those skilled in the art should understand that the embodiments and accompanying drawings listed here are provided for reference and illustration purposes only and are not intended to limit the present invention. Inventions that can be easily modified or altered based on these descriptions are considered to be within the spirit and intent of the present invention and are, of course, also included in the scope of the patent application for the present invention.

Furthermore, directional terms such as "up," "down," "left," "right," "front," and "back" mentioned in the following embodiments refer only to the directions shown in the accompanying figures. Therefore, the directional terms used are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the present invention. Furthermore, in the following embodiments, identical or similar components will be referenced using identical or similar component numbers.

Please refer to Figures 1, 2, and 3, which are the assembled and exploded views of the lifting column of the present invention. As shown in the figures, a lifting column 1 includes a column 10, a housing assembly 11, a plurality of first bearings 4, and a plurality of second rollers 5.

The column 10 has a shaft 2 at its center, which is driven upward by a power element (not shown). One side of the column 10 forms an outer wall 100. The ends of the column 10, facing the outer wall 100, are formed with a first inclined surface 101 and a second inclined surface 102, respectively. Furthermore, the outer wall 100 of the column 10 is further recessed to form a concave portion 103. The sides of the concave portion 103 are raised to form a first wall 104 and a second wall 105, respectively.

The housing assembly 11 is slidably mounted on the column 10. The housing assembly 11 is composed of a first housing 12 and a second housing 13. The first housing 12 has an inner wall 120 that is in contact with the outer wall 100. More specifically, the inner wall 120 is in contact with the first wall 104 and the second wall 105. The second housing 13 is composed of an upper housing 130 and a lower housing 131. The lower housing 131 comprises a first sloping wall 1310 and a second sloping wall 1311 formed on the inner side of the lower housing 131. The first sloping wall 1310 mates with the first sloping surface 101 of the column 10, while the second sloping wall 1311 mates with the second sloping surface 102 of the column 10. This ensures a seamless connection between the housing assembly 11 and the column 10.

It should be noted that the angles of the first and second inclined surfaces 101 and 102 of the column 10 can be selected to be 40-50 degrees, with the optimal angle being 45 degrees. Of course, the angles of the first and second inclined walls 1310 and 1311 of the lower housing 131, which are in contact with the column 10, are adjusted accordingly to achieve a gap-free structure.

Furthermore, the first housing 12 further forms a first sidewall 122 and a second sidewall 123, and the second housing 13 further forms a third sidewall 1313 and a fourth sidewall 1314. The first sidewall 122 is in contact with the third sidewall 1313, and the second sidewall 123 is in contact with the fourth sidewall 1314. Multiple holes 14 are formed in the first, second, third, and fourth sidewalls 122, 123, 1313, and 1314. Multiple locking members 3 are inserted through these holes 14 to securely fasten the first and second housings 12 and 13.

Referring further to Figures 4 and 5 , at least one assembly portion 124 is formed on an outer wall 121 of the first housing 12. This assembly portion 124 defines a plurality of grooves 125 and at least one through-hole 126. The grooves 125 are hollowed-out. The first bearings 4 are correspondingly assembled within these grooves 125, allowing them to rollably engage the first and second walls 104 and 105. Furthermore, a plurality of adjusting members 6 are disposed within the through-hole 126. These adjusting members 6 are rotatably disposed within the through-holes 126 and extend through the first bearing 4. The adjusting members 6 are used to fine-tune the tightness between the housing assembly 11 and the column 10.

A plurality of slots 1312 are further defined on the first and second inclined walls 1310 and 1311 of the lower housing 131. The second rollers 5 are correspondingly mounted within these slots 1312, allowing them to rollably engage the first and second inclined surfaces 101 and 102. It should be noted that the slots 1312 constitute the receiving space structures on the first and second inclined walls 1310 and 1311.

To further explain, in this embodiment, four first bearings 4 and four second rollers 5 are used as an example. By rolling the four first bearings 4 in contact with the first and second wall surfaces 104 and 105, and rolling the four second rollers 5 in contact with the first and second inclined surfaces 101 and 102, optimal stabilization is achieved through four-point alignment (parallel and perpendicular to each other). However, this is not limiting. The number of first bearings 4 and second rollers 5 can be adjusted as needed. This description is omitted.

Therefore, through the structural design of the lifting column 1, when the first housing 12 is coupled to the outer wall 100 of the column 10, the first bearing 4 corresponding to the groove 125 hollowed out in the outer wall 121 of the first housing 12 will also contact the first and second wall surfaces 104 and 105 of the column 10. When the second housing 13 is coupled to the first and second inclined surfaces 101 and 102 of the column 10, the second roller 5 corresponding to the slot 1312 of the lower housing 131 will also contact the column 10. On the first and second inclined surfaces 101 and 102, with the assistance of the first bearing 4 and the second roller 5, the housing assembly 11 and the column 10 can slide relative to each other. In other words, the first bearing 4 and the second roller 5 allow the housing assembly 11 to slide smoothly on the column 10. Furthermore, during the lowering stroke, the housing assembly 11 can descend smoothly without the need for additional energy. This significantly improves the stability of the lifting process and the firmness of the housing assembly 11, while also significantly saving energy.

Furthermore, the structural design of the adjusting member 6 allows for fine-tuning of the housing assembly 11 and the column 10 to achieve a tight fit and prevent loosening and deflection of the housing assembly 11.

Furthermore, by positioning the first bearings 4 in the corresponding grooves 125 and the second rollers 5 in the corresponding slots 1312, the design of the grooves 125 and slots 1312 achieves a position-limiting function, thereby preventing the bearings from loosening and falling.

In summary, the present invention has the following advantages over conventional methods: 1. Significantly improved stability during lifting; 2. Energy savings; 3. Significantly improved housing assembly firmness, preventing loosening; and 4. Prevents bearing loosening and falling.

100:Outer wall

101: First Incline

102:Second slope

120: Inner wall

121: Outer wall

122: First side wall

123: Second side wall

130: Upper shell

131: Lower housing

1310: First inclined wall

1311: Second inclined wall

1313: Third side wall

1314: Fourth side wall

14: Holes

2: Shaft

3: Lock the firmware

4: First bearing

5: Second roller

6: Adjustment parts

Claims (8)

A lifting column comprises: a column having a shaft at its center that can slide up and down, an outer wall formed on one side of the column, and a first inclined surface and a second inclined surface formed on the two end edges of the other side of the column opposite to the outer wall; a shell assembly that is slidably mounted on the column, the shell assembly being composed of a first shell and a second shell, the first shell having an inner wall surface that is in contact with the outer wall, and the inner side surface of the second shell further forming a first inclined wall surface and a second inclined wall surface, the first inclined wall surface correspondingly in contact with the first inclined surface, and the second inclined wall surface correspondingly in contact with the second inclined surface The first and second inclined walls further comprise a plurality of slots; a plurality of first bearings correspondingly assembled on an outer wall of the first housing, the outer wall forming at least one assembly portion, the assembly portion defining a plurality of grooves and at least one through-hole, such that the first bearings are correspondingly disposed within the grooves and rollably engage with the outer wall; a plurality of adjusting members rotatably penetrate the through-holes and extend through the first bearings; and a plurality of second rollers correspondingly assembled on the slots of the first and second inclined walls, such that the second rollers rollably engage with the first and second inclined surfaces. The lifting column as described in claim 1, wherein the outer wall of the column is further recessed to form a concave portion, and the two sides of the concave portion respectively form a first wall surface and a second wall surface. The lifting column as described in claim 1, wherein the second housing is composed of an upper housing and a lower housing, and the first and second inclined walls are formed on the lower housing. The lifting column as described in claim 2, wherein the first bearing is in rolling contact with the first and second wall surfaces. The lifting column as described in claim 1, wherein the first shell further forms a first sidewall and a second sidewall, and the second shell further forms a third sidewall and a fourth sidewall, the first sidewall being oppositely affixed to the third sidewall, and the second sidewall being oppositely affixed to the fourth sidewall. The lifting column as described in claim 5, wherein a plurality of holes are formed on the first, second, third, and fourth side walls, and a plurality of locking members are inserted through the holes to tightly fit the first and second housings. The lifting column as described in claim 1, wherein the first and second inclined surfaces have an angle of 40 to 50 degrees. The lifting column as described in claim 1, wherein the optimal angle of the first and second inclined surfaces is 45 degrees.