Multi-section telescopic tube and tent frame with self-locking function

Abstract

The present invention discloses a multi-section telescopic tube and a tent frame with a self-unlocking function. The multi-section telescopic tube comprises an inner tube, a middle tube, an outer tube, a mounting base, an operating member, and a control unit. Locking members are installed in both the middle tube and the inner tube. The end of the locking member of the middle tube can extend from the middle tube to the outside of the middle tube to lock the outer tube and the middle tube together. The end of the locking member of the inner tube can extend from the inner tube to the outside of the inner tube to lock the middle tube and the inner tube together. The mounting base has a connecting section that can be adapted and fixed to the lower end of the outer tube. The operating member can engage with the end of the locking member of the middle tube and drive the locking member to retract inward to release the support. The control unit is fixed relative to and located below the outer tube. The control unit is provided with at least one guide bevel. During retraction, the guide bevel engages with the end of the locking member of the inner tube and drives the locking member to retract inward to release the support. The advantages of the present invention are that, except for the locking member of the middle tube, which is unlocked by the operating member, the remaining locking members are automatically unlocked by the guiding bevels, achieving the effect of unlocking all locking members with one operating member.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to household or camping supplies, and in particular to a multi-section telescopic tube and a tent frame with a self-unlocking function. Background Art

[0002] Existing multi-section telescopic tubes comprise an inner tube, a middle tube, and an outer tube, which are connected internally and externally and can move relative to each other in the telescopic direction. Both the middle tube and the inner tube are provided with through-holes extending from the inside to the outside. Each of these tubes is equipped with a locking element. The locking element comprises a V-shaped member and a protrusion protruding from the outer sidewall of the first segment of the V. The end of the second segment of the V is fixed to the inner wall of the middle tube or inner tube. The V-shaped member is inherently elastic, generating a spring force, and the protrusion extends out of the through-hole under the action of the spring force. The outer tube is supported and locked in place by the end of the protrusion extending outside the middle tube, while the middle tube is supported and locked in place by the end of the protrusion extending outside the inner tube. To retract the multi-section telescopic tube, a finger presses the inner ends of the two locking elements inward, causing them to retract to release the lock and allow the tube to retract. This release can cause the user's fingers to be pinched during this process. To address this issue, an unlocking mechanism is now provided on the outer and middle tubes. This unlocking mechanism pushes the protrusion inward to unlock the tube, preventing pinching. The above-mentioned multi-section telescopic tube has the following disadvantages: first, two unlocking mechanisms are required, which increases the cost; second, the space occupied after contraction needs to be further compacted; third, the user needs to press the unlocking mechanism twice, which is cumbersome to operate. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The present invention provides a multi-section telescopic tube and a tent frame with a self-unlocking function, which overcome the shortcomings of the multi-section telescopic tube in the background art.

[0004] One of the technical solutions adopted by the present invention to solve its technical problems is: a multi-section telescopic tube with a self-unlocking function, comprising an inner tube, a middle tube and an outer tube that are connected internally and externally and can move relatively along the telescopic direction; the middle tube and the inner tube are both equipped with locking pieces, and the outer tube and the middle tube are both provided with locking holes that pass through the inside and outside of the outer tube, the end of the locking piece of the middle tube can extend from the inside of the middle tube to the outside of the middle tube and be inserted into the locking hole of the outer tube to lock the outer tube, and the end of the locking piece of the inner tube can extend from the inside of the inner tube to the outside of the inner tube and be inserted into the locking hole of the middle tube to lock the middle tube; the characteristic is that it also includes a mounting seat, a movably connected to the mounting seat An operating member and a control part; the mounting seat has a connecting section that can be adapted and fixed on the lower end of the outer tube, the operating member can cooperate with the end of the locking member of the middle tube and drive the locking member to retract through the operating member to release the lock; the control part is fixed relative to the outer tube and is located under the outer tube, the control part is provided with a guide slope and a top abutment surface, the guide slope of the control part faces inward and is arranged gradually approaching the middle tube from bottom to top, the top abutment surface is connected to the inner end of the guide slope and is arranged parallel to the telescopic direction, and during the contraction process, the guide slope cooperates with the end of the locking member of the inner tube and drives the locking member to retract until it abuts against the top abutment surface to release the lock.

[0005] In one embodiment, the middle tube and the inner tube are both provided with through holes extending therethrough; the locking element itself is elastic and can generate elastic force or is connected to an elastic body that can generate elastic force, and the end of the locking element can extend out of the through hole under the action of the elastic force.

[0006] In one embodiment, the control unit is fixedly mounted on the lower end of the outer tube.

[0007] In one embodiment, the mounting base and the control unit are fixed together or integrally formed.

[0008] In one embodiment: the mounting seat is provided with a mounting hole extending upward and downward, the upper section of the mounting hole constituting the above-mentioned connecting section that can be adapted and fixedly sleeved outside the lower end of the outer tube, the lower section of the mounting hole is fixedly provided with the above-mentioned control portion, and the control portion is at least partially protruded inwardly relative to the inner wall of the connecting section.

[0009] In one embodiment, the mounting seat is further provided with a connecting hole penetrating inside and outside the mounting hole, and the operating member is slidably connected in the connecting hole to cooperate with the end of the locking member of the inner tube.

[0010] In one embodiment, a plurality of lower ribs are protruded from the inner wall of the lower section of the mounting hole at circumferential intervals, and the control portion and the plurality of lower ribs are circumferentially spaced and cooperate to form a fitting section, which is adapted to surround the middle tube.

[0011] In one embodiment, it further includes a bushing, the lower peripheral edge of which extends outward to form a convex ring. The bushing is sleeved outside the middle tube and supported on the control part, and the outer tube is sleeved outside the bushing and supported on the convex ring.

[0012] In one embodiment, the bushing is provided with a clearance hole running through the inside and outside, and the end of the locking element passes through the clearance hole.

[0013] The second technical solution adopted by the present invention to solve the technical problem is: the tent frame includes a plurality of supporting legs, and the supporting legs are the multi-section telescopic tubes.

[0014] Compared with the background technology, this technical solution has the following advantages:

[0015] The device further comprises a mounting seat, an operating member, and a control unit. The operating member drives the locking member of the middle tube to retract inward to release the lock between the outer tube and the middle tube. During the contraction process, the guiding bevel of the control unit drives the locking member of the inner tube to retract inward to release the lock between the middle tube and the inner tube. This can produce the following technical effects: first, there is no need to directly press the locking member with fingers, thus avoiding finger pinching; second, except for the locking member of the middle tube, which is unlocked by the operating member, the remaining locking members are self-unlocked by the guiding bevel, so that one operating member can unlock all locking members. On the one hand, the number of pressing times is reduced, making contraction more convenient and quick; on the other hand, the number of mounting seats and operating members is reduced, thus reducing costs. Moreover, the contraction length can be further compacted, the space occupied after contraction is reduced, the packaging volume is reduced, and the packaging cost, transportation cost, and storage cost are reduced. The control unit also has a top abutment surface, which is connected to the inner end of the guiding bevel and is arranged parallel to the extension direction, so that the locking member of the inner tube remains in the unlocked state, improving the convenience of contraction.

[0016] The mounting base and the control part are fixed together or integrally formed, which reduces accessories, facilitates assembly, improves strength, and improves assembly accuracy.

[0017] At least a portion of the control portion is arranged to protrude inwardly relative to the inner wall of the connecting section, and the layout is reasonable to match the middle tube.

[0018] The lower peripheral edge of the bushing extends outward to form a convex ring. The bushing is sleeved outside the middle tube and supported on the control part. The outer tube is sleeved outside the bushing and supported on the convex ring. The structure is compact and the stability is improved. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0020] Figure 1 It is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of a tent frame according to a specific embodiment.

[0021] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the three-dimensional decomposition at point A.

[0022] Figure 3 yes Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the three-dimensional decomposition at point B.

[0023] Figure 4 It is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of a mounting base and a control unit according to a specific embodiment.

[0024] Figure 5 2 is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of a mounting base and a control unit according to a specific embodiment.

[0025] Figure 6 yes Figure 1 Schematic cross-sectional view at point A.

[0026] Figure 7 yes Figure 1Schematic cross-sectional view at point B.

[0027] Figure 8 It is a structural schematic diagram of a specific embodiment in which the outer tube and the middle tube of the telescopic tube are semi-contracted.

[0028] Figure 9 yes Figure 8 One of the cross-sectional diagrams at point C.

[0029] Figure 10 yes Figure 8 The second cross-sectional diagram at point C.

[0030] Figure 11 yes Figure 8 The third cross-sectional diagram at point C.

[0031] Figure 12 It is a structural schematic diagram of a specific embodiment in which the telescopic tube is fully retracted.

[0032] Figure 13 yes Figure 12 Schematic cross-sectional view at D. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0033] Please refer to Figure 1 The awning frame comprises a top base 101, a plurality of legs 106, and a plurality of awning poles spaced circumferentially connected to the top base 101. Each leg 106 has a fixed seat fixed to its top, and a sliding seat slidably connected to each leg 106. A scissor mechanism is connected between the fixed seat and the sliding seat of each pair of adjacent legs 106. The scissor mechanism comprises a plurality of scissor units 107 connected in series. The awning pole assembly comprises a first awning pole 102 rotatably connected to the top base 101, a second awning pole 103 rotatably connected to the first awning pole 102, a support rod 104, and an eaves pole 105. The second awning pole 103 is rotatably connected to the fixed seat of the legs 106. The support rod 104 is rotatably connected to the second awning pole 103 at its upper end and rotatably connected to the sliding seat at its lower end. The eaves pole 105 is rotatably connected to the support rod 104 at its inner end, and its outer end moves through the fixed seat. The structure of the awning frame can be referred to in the prior art. The support leg 106 is a multi-section telescopic tube with a self-locking function.

[0034] Please refer to Figures 2 to 13 The multi-section telescopic tube includes an inner tube 2 that is connected to an outer tube and can move relatively along the telescopic direction, a middle tube 3, an outer tube 4, a mounting seat 5, an operating member 51 movably connected to the mounting seat 5, and a control unit 6.

[0035] The middle tube 3 and the inner tube 2 are respectively provided with through holes 31 and 21 which penetrate inside and outside, and the outer tube 4 and the middle tube 3 are respectively provided with locking holes 42 and 32 which penetrate inside and outside; the middle tube 3 and the inner tube 2 are both provided with a locking member 7, which comprises a V-shaped member 71 and a protruding column 72 which is provided on the outer side wall of the V-shaped first piece of the V-shaped member 71, and the end of the V-shaped second piece of the V-shaped member is fixedly connected to the inner wall of the middle tube or the inner tube, and the V-shaped member itself has elasticity which can generate elastic force; the locking member in the middle tube 3 The boss 72 of 7 extends out of the through hole 31 of the middle tube 3 under the action of elastic force and can be inserted into the locking hole 42 of the outer tube 4 to achieve locking positioning, so as to lock the outer tube 4 and the middle tube 3. When the boss 72 is retracted, the middle tube and the outer tube can freely expand and contract. The boss 72 of the locking member 7 in the inner tube 2 extends out of the through hole 21 of the inner tube 2 under the action of elastic force and can be inserted into the locking hole 32 of the middle tube 3 to achieve locking positioning, so as to lock the middle tube 3 and the inner tube 2. When the boss 72 is retracted, the middle tube and the inner tube can freely expand and contract.

[0036] The mounting base 5 defines a mounting hole 52 extending vertically therethrough. The upper portion of the mounting hole 52 forms a connecting section 53 that fits securely over the lower end of the outer tube 4. The mounting base 5 also defines a connecting hole 54 extending through the connecting section 53 of the mounting hole 52. The operating member 51, which forms a button, is slidably connected within the connecting hole 51 in a vertically retractable direction to abut against the distal end of the protruding column 72 of the locking member 7 of the middle tube 4. The operating member 51 abuts against the distal end of the protruding column 72 of the locking member 7 of the middle tube 4, causing it to retract inwardly and exit the locking hole, thereby releasing the locking position.

[0037] The control portion 6 is fixed relative to the outer tube 4 and is located below the outer tube 4. The control portion 61 is provided with a guide bevel 61 and a top abutment surface 62. The guide bevel 61 faces inward and is arranged from bottom to top toward the middle tube 4. The top abutment surface 62 is connected to the inner end of the guide bevel 61 and is arranged parallel to the direction of expansion and contraction. During the contraction process, the guide bevel 61 engages the end of the protrusion 72 of the inner tube's locking member to retract it, allowing it to exit the lock hole. The top abutment surface abuts to maintain the retracted position, thereby releasing the locking position and maintaining it in the released state.

[0038] In this specific embodiment, the mounting seat 5 and the control portion 6 are integrally formed. Specifically, the control portion 6 is fixedly mounted on the lower section of the mounting hole 52, with at least a portion of the control portion 6 protruding inwardly relative to the inner wall of the connecting section. Multiple lower ribs 55 are circumferentially spaced apart from the inner wall of the lower section of the mounting hole 52. The control portion and the multiple lower ribs are circumferentially spaced apart and cooperate to form a mating section that is adapted to surround the middle tube. The control portion and the lower ribs cooperate to form a supporting protrusion 59. Multiple upper ribs 56 are circumferentially spaced apart from the inner wall of the connecting section. This structure reduces the friction area and reduces friction.

[0039] The contraction process of the telescopic tube in this embodiment is described as follows: 1. Press the button to unlock the lock of the middle tube, and the outer tube and the middle tube will contract. Figure 1and Figure 8 As shown; 2. When the middle tube is retracted to the inner tube, the locking piece hits the guide slope and the top surface provided on the control part. When it continues to be retracted, the locking piece of the inner tube will be pushed back into the tube by the guide slope to unlock the locking connection between the middle tube and the inner tube. The inner tube and the middle tube shrink, as shown. Figure 8 and Figure 12 When the locking piece of the middle tube retracts to the inner tube and hits the guide slope provided on the control part, the locking piece is driven to retract inward by the guide slope. Figure 9 and Figure 10 As shown, continue to slide down, the lock is completely retracted and moves to the top surface, as shown in Figure 10 and Figure 11 shown.

[0040] This embodiment also includes a bushing 57 and a sliding sleeve 58. The lower periphery of the bushing 57 extends outward to form a raised ring 571. The bushing 57 is sleeved over the middle tube 3 and supported on the supporting protrusion 59. The outer tube 4 is sleeved over the bushing 57 and supported on the raised ring 571. The bushing 57 has a clearance hole 572 extending through the inside and outside and aligned with the locking hole 42 of the outer tube 4. The end of the locking element passes through the clearance hole and is inserted into the locking hole 42. The sliding sleeve 58 is disposed between the middle tube and the outer tube.

[0041] In this embodiment, a three-section telescopic tube is used. Alternatively, more than three sections, such as four or five sections, may be provided as needed. The additional tubes are sleeved within the inner tube from the outside to the inside. Each of the additional tubes is provided with a locking member that supports the outer tube. A control unit is provided under each of the middle tubes to enable sequential self-locking.

[0042] In this embodiment, the telescopic tube is applied to the legs of the tent frame, but the invention is not limited thereto and can also be applied to tables, chairs, or telescopic poles as needed.

[0043] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and therefore cannot be used to limit the scope of the present invention. In other words, equivalent changes and modifications made according to the scope of the present invention and the contents of the specification should still fall within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A multi-section telescopic tube with a self-locking function, comprising an inner tube, a middle tube, and an outer tube, which are connected to each other and can move relative to each other in the telescopic direction; the middle tube and the inner tube are each equipped with a locking member, and the outer tube and the middle tube are each provided with a locking hole extending therethrough; the end of the locking member of the middle tube can extend from the inside of the middle tube to the outside of the middle tube and be inserted into the locking hole of the outer tube to lock the outer tube; and the end of the locking member of the inner tube can extend from the inside of the inner tube to the outside of the inner tube and be inserted into the locking hole of the middle tube to lock the middle tube; characterized in that: The cam is secured to the underside of the outer tube and is adapted to engage the locking member of the middle tube via a lever which is secured to the underside of the outer tube and is adapted to engage with the locking member of the middle tube via a lever which is secured to the underside of the outer tube.

2. The multi-section telescopic tube with self-unlocking function according to claim 1, characterized in that: The middle tube and the inner tube are both provided with through holes which penetrate inside and outside; the locking piece itself has elasticity which can generate elastic force or is matched with an elastic body which can generate elastic force, and the end of the locking piece can extend out of the through hole under the action of elastic force.

3. The multi-section telescopic tube with self-unlocking function according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The control part is fixedly mounted on the lower end of the outer tube.

4. The multi-section telescopic tube with self-unlocking function according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The mounting seat and the control part are fixed together or integrally formed.

5. The multi-section telescopic tube with self-locking function according to claim 4, characterized in that: The mounting seat is provided with a mounting hole which passes through from top to bottom. The upper section of the mounting hole constitutes the above-mentioned connecting section which can be adapted and fixedly sleeved outside the lower end of the outer tube, and the lower section of the mounting hole is fixedly provided with the above-mentioned control part.

6. The multi-section telescopic tube with self-unlocking function according to claim 5, characterized in that: The mounting seat is further provided with a connecting hole which passes through the inside and outside of the mounting hole. The operating member is slidably connected in the connecting hole to match the end of the locking member of the inner tube.

7. The multi-section telescopic tube with self-locking function according to claim 5, characterized in that: A plurality of lower ribs are protruded from the inner wall of the lower section of the mounting hole at circumferential intervals. The control portion and the plurality of lower ribs are circumferentially spaced and cooperate to form a fitting section, which is adapted to surround the middle pipe.

8. The multi-section telescopic tube with self-locking function according to claim 5, characterized in that: It also includes a bushing, the lower periphery of which extends outward to form a convex ring. The bushing is sleeved outside the middle tube and supported on the control part, and the outer tube is sleeved outside the bushing and supported on the convex ring.

9. The multi-section telescopic tube with self-unlocking function according to claim 8, characterized in that: The bushing is provided with a clearance hole which runs through the inside and outside, and the end of the locking piece passes through the clearance hole.

10. A tent frame comprising a plurality of legs, characterized in that: The support leg is a multi-section telescopic tube with a self-unlocking function according to claim 1.

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