Braking device for braking a support member and supporting device for supporting the support member with the same

1. A braking device for braking a support member, which connects a main body of an equipment at one end thereof and a sub-body of the equipment at an opposite end thereof, comprising:

a support bracket mounted on the main body of the equipment;

a shaft connected at both ends of the support bracket;

a plurality of first plates disposed around the shaft, which passes through the first plates, the first plates being movable up and down by a pivotal movement of the support member at the one end of the support member;

a plurality of second plates disposed around the shaft, which passes through the second plates, each of the second plates being alternately positioned between the first plates; and

a pressing unit movable along the shaft between:

a braked position when the pressing unit presses the first and second plates to bring the first and second plates into contact with one another; and

an unbraked position when the first and second plates are spaced apart from one another, wherein the pressing unit comprises:

a pressing member positioned adjacent to the first and second plates, the shaft passing through the pressing member; and

a movable member coupled to the pressing member for moving the pressing member between the braked position and the unbraked position.

2. The braking device of claim 1 , wherein the first plates define a guide slit therethrough, the shaft passing through the guide slit.

3. The braking device of claim 1 , wherein the movable member comprises:

a spindle having a screw thread on a periphery thereof; and

a movable bracket having a threaded aperture for screw-engaging the periphery of the spindle, the movable bracket being movable along the shaft by a rotation of the spindle.

4. The braking device of claim 3 , further comprising:

an electric motor for generating a driving power for rotating the spindle, the electric motor having a driving gear; and

a gear train for connecting the driving gear to a driven gear disposed on the spindle.

5. The braking device of claim 4 , wherein the driving gear includes a worm gear and the gear train includes a worm wheel gear meshed with the worm gear.

6. The braking device of claim 3 , further comprising a biasing member for biasing the pressing member towards the braked position.

7. The braking device of claim 6 , wherein the biasing member includes a compressive spring disposed between the support bracket and the pressing member.

8. The braking device of claim 6 ,

wherein the movable bracket further comprises a cam element rotatably mounted thereon and having a cam surface, the cam surface being in contact with a contact member disposed on the main body of the equipment, and

wherein the pressing member is movable between the braked position and the unbraked position by a rotation, of the cam element relative to the contact member.

9. A supporting device for supporting a sub-body of an equipment relative to a main body of the equipment, comprising:

a base bracket mounted on the main body of the equipment;

a support member connecting the main body of the equipment at one end thereof and the sub-body of the equipment at an opposite end thereof, the support member including a plurality of first plates disposed at the one end to be movable up and down by a pivotal movement of the one end, each of the first plates having a guide slit therethrough;

a support bracket mounted on the base bracket;

a shaft having a plurality of second plates alternately disposed between the first plates, the shaft being connected at both ends of the support bracket and passing through the guide slits of the first plates;

a pressing member movable along the shaft between:

a braked position when the pressing member presses the first and second plates to bring the first and second plates into contact with one another; and

an unbraked position when the first and second plates are spaced apart from one another;

a biasing member for biasing the pressing member towards the braked position; and

a movable member coupled to the pressing member for moving the pressing member between the braked position and the unbraked position.

10. The supporting device of claim 9 , wherein the movable member comprises:

a spindle having a screw thread on a periphery thereof; and

a movable bracket having a threaded aperture for screw-engaging the periphery of the spindle, the movable bracket being movable along the shaft by a rotation of the spindle.

11. The supporting device of claim 10 , further comprising:

an electric motor for generating a driving power for rotating the spindle, the electric motor having a driving gear; and

a gear train for connecting the driving gear to a driven gear disposed on the spindle.

12. The supporting device of claim 11 , wherein the electric motor is energized by an uninterrupted power supply.

13. The supporting device of claim 11 , wherein the driving gear includes a worm gear and the gear train includes a worm wheel gear meshed with the worm gear.

14. The supporting device of claim 10 ,

wherein the movable bracket further comprises a cam element rotatably mounted thereon and having a cam surface, the cam surface being in contact with a contact member disposed on the main body of the equipment, and

wherein the pressing member is movable between the braked position and the unbraked position by a rotation of the cam element relative to the contact member.