IP Library › Granted Patent US 10,837,193
Granted Patent B2
US 10,837,193 · App. 16/237,731 · Granted Nov 17, 2020

Lever lock post holder

Inventor: David Scott Andrews (Berkeley, CA)
Assignee: FIAT LUX PHOTONICS LLC
E04H12/2276E02D27/42F16B2/185F16B7/1454
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,837,193
App. No.
16/237,731
Granted
Nov 17, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

A post holder for holding a post in place. The post holder includes: a casing including a hollow cylinder and a clamping flag defined by a cutout formed in the hollow cylinder; first and second brackets detachably secured to the casing; a cylindrical rod disposed between the first and second brackets and secured to the first and second brackets; and a levered cam disposed between the first and second brackets and having a shape of a comma that includes a tail and a circular disk. The circular disk has a hole that the cylindrical rod passes through, where the hole is offset from a center of the circular disk so that a level of a clamping force that the circular disk applies to the clamping flag changes as the levered cam rotates relative to the casing.

Claims (42)

1. A post holder, comprising:

a casing including a hollow cylinder and a clamping flag defined by a cutout formed in the hollow cylinder;

first and second brackets detachably secured to the casing;

a cylindrical rod disposed between the first and second brackets and secured to the first and second brackets; and

a levered cam disposed between the first and second brackets and having a shape of a comma that includes a tail and a circular disk, the circular disk having a hole that the cylindrical rod passes through, the hole being offset from a center of the circular disk so that a level of a clamping force that the circular disk applies to the clamping flag changes as the levered cam rotates relative to the casing.

2. The post holder of claim 1 , wherein the cutout includes a first slit that extends along a circumferential direction of the hollow cylinder, a second slit that is parallel to the first slit, and a third slit that extends along a longitudinal direction of the hollow cylinder and wherein the third slit has two ends that meet the first and second slits, respectively.

3. The post holder of claim 1 , wherein the clamping flag bends inward in response to the clamping force, to thereby hold a post received in the hollow cylinder in place.

4. The post holder of claim 1 , wherein a thickness of the clamping flag in a radial direction of the hollow cylinder is less than a thickness of the hollow cylinder in the radial direction.

5. The post holder of claim 1 , wherein the clamping flag has a groove that extends along a longitudinal direction of the hollow cylinder and wherein the clamping flag pivots around the groove in response to the clamping force.

6. The post holder of claim 1 , further comprising:

a bottom plug detachably secured to the casing and including a tapped hole.

7. The post holder of claim 1 , wherein the bottom plug further includes a pair of holes for a spanner drive.

8. The post holder of claim 1 , wherein the clamping flag is carved out to form a rubbing surface and wherein the rubbing surface is concave inward so as to conform to a side surface of the levered cam.

9. The post holder of claim 1 , further comprising:

a first anti friction disk disposed between the levered cam and the first bracket; and

a second anti friction disk disposed between the levered cam and the second bracket.

10. The post holder of claim 1 , wherein the first bracket includes:

a top portion detachably secured to the casing and having a first groove; and

a bottom portion detachably secure to the top portion and having a second groove,

wherein the first and second grooves form a circular hole for receiving the cylindrical rod therein.

11. The post holder of claim 1 , further comprising:

an adjustable friction assembly for applying a frictional force to a post received in the hollow cylinder, the adjustable friction assembly comprising:

a main body detachably secured to the casing and having a through hole extending in a radial direction of the hollow cylinder;

a ball disposed in the through hole;

a spring disposed in the through hole and configured to push the ball in the radial direction so that the ball applies the frictional force; and

a jam nut detachably secured to the main body and having a tip that compresses the spring.

12. The post holder of claim 11 , wherein the adjustable friction assembly further comprises:

a screw detachably secured to the main body and having a tip that secures the jam nut to the main body.

13. The post holder of claim 11 , wherein the adjustable friction assembly further includes:

a spacer disposed between the casing and the main body and having a curved surface that conforms to an outer surface of the casing.

14. The post holder of claim 11 , wherein main body further includes a pair of holes for a spanner drive.

15. A post holder for holding a post, comprising:

a casing including a hollow cylinder for receiving a post therein and having a tapped hole; and

an adjustable friction assembly for applying a frictional force to the post, the adjustable friction assembly comprising:

a main body engaging the tapped hole in the casing and having a through hole extending in a radial direction of the hollow cylinder;

a ball disposed in the through hole;

a spring disposed in the through hole and configured to push the ball in the radial direction so that the ball applies the frictional force; and

a jam nut detachably secured to the main body and having a tip that compresses the spring.

16. The post holder of claim 15 , wherein the main body further includes a tapped hole and wherein the adjustable friction assembly further comprises:

a screw engaging the tapped hole in the main body and having a tip that secures the jam nut to the main body.

17. The post holder of claim 15 , wherein the adjustable friction assembly further includes:

a spacer disposed between the casing and the main body and having a curved surface that conforms to an outer surface of the casing.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 27, 2019
From: ANDREWS, DAVID SCOTT
To: FIAT LUX PHOTONICS LLC
Reel/Frame 048707/0324 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 62617546 · Jan 15, 2018
Related Publication 20190218812A1 · Jul 18, 2019
Cited By (1)
US 12,534,932