FIELD OF INVENTION The present invention relates generally to an improved locking mechanism; and more particularly to an improved former holder locking mechanism for latex dipping industry.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION This invention is an improvement to the invention entitled "Former Holder Locking Mechanism" with the Malaysian application No. PI 2016700291 , filed on 27 January 2016, and this application claims priority benefits thereof , which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety herein. A former holder assembly for dipped latex products industry generally includes a holder with locking mechanism to receive a former. The former is typically carried by conveyor chain through the former holder for latex dipping process. It is however, many conventional former holder assemblies may suffer from a number of disadvantages, for example, the installation or replacement of the former can be extremely cumbersome and time consuming. The installation or replacement of the former may require substantial precise engagement to enable smooth locking and unlocking operations. Accordingly, the former must be manoeuvred into position such that a mounting aperture of the former and a locking member of the holder must be in a proper alignment to perform locking and unlocking operations.

It is also found that some of the proposed locking mechanisms of the former holder may involve complicated designs and configurations, such that they require substantially excessive force or energy to perform the locking or unlocking operations. Yet, in some cases this may lead to damage or broken former which may unintentional lead to an injury or harm to the operators. Complex designs or configurations of the locking mechanism may also lead to excessive and unnecessary care for maintenance, and they could be costly in term of labour, material and assembly costs.

Further, some locking mechanisms of the former holder may require a skilled person with a special tool, such as for example, a mechanical, hydraulic or pneumatic tool, for installation or replacement of the former. As such, in a practical concern, a quick, easy and safe installation or replacement of the former without substantial force or energy for locking and unlocking operations become a significant issue.

In view of these and other shortcomings, it would be desirable to provide a practical and effective former holder system for rapid, easy and safe installation or replacement of the former. Accordingly, the present invention aims to provide an improved former holder locking mechanism for use in latex dipping industry, one which in more simple and effective approaches, and yet robust and durable in use. In particularly, the present invention is adapted to facilitate ready and easy assembling and disassembling of the former, by providing a guide means that is adapted to be collaboratively operated with active and passive cams of the cam unit that are in conjunction with the active and passive biasing elements, such that to enable a former to be either securely mounted in a cavity of the holder in locking position or to be effortlessly removed from the cavity of the holder in unlocking position. The present invention also adapted to provide safe and effective locking and unlocking operations. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to an improved former holder locking mechanism for use in latex dipping industry. Accordingly, the improved former holder locking mechanism includes: a) a shaft collaboratively in communication with a holder; b) a guide means that collaboratively operates with a cam unit and an active and passive biasing elements; c) retaining plate; wherein the guide means is adapted to be collaboratively operated with the active and passive cams of the cam unit and in conjunction with the active and passive biasing elements such that to enable a former to be either securely mounted in a cavity of the holder in locking position or to be effortlessly removed from the cavity of the holder in unlocking position.

In the preferred exemplary, the guide means includes a pair of protruded shaft extended from its body. It should be noted that the pair of protruded shaft is pierced through the holder and is adapted to be slotably engaged with engaging slice at locking protrusions of the active cam. By way of example, but not limitation, the locking protrusion is adapted to engage with a mount opening of the former.

In the preferred exemplary of the present invention, each active cam and passive cam of the cam unit is provided with predefined cam pathway, such that they are able to collaboratively reciprocate in accordance with the locking and unlocking positions. Accordingly, the active and passive biasing elements are able to induce opposite forces for impeccable displacement of the embedded cam unit within the housing, such that to enable the active and passive cams to be securely travelled along their predefined cam pathway when a turning motion is being applied for locking or unlocking operations. It should be noted that the predefined cam pathway enables the active cam and the passive cam to collaboratively reciprocate in between predetermined highest and lowest points, or to collaboratively reciprocate at least to achieve the predefined thickness, t in between the locking and unlocking positions.

The present invention consists of several novel features and a combination of parts hereinafter fully described and illustrated in the accompanying description and drawings, it being understood that various changes in the details may be made without departing from the scope of the invention or sacrificing any of the advantages of the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will be fully understood from the detailed description given herein below and the accompanying drawings which are given by way of illustration only, and thus are not limitative of the present invention, wherein:

FIGS. 1 a and 1 b respectively illustrate an improved former holder locking mechanism which is carried by carrying arm with bearing assembly in a locking and unlocking positions in accordance with preferred exemplary of present invention;

FIGS. 2a and 2b respectively show an exploded cross-sectional side view of the improved former holder locking mechanism of FIS. 1 a and 1 b, in the locking and unlocking positions in accordance with preferred exemplary of the present invention; FIGS. 3a to 3b respectively shows enlarged and perspective views of a guide means which is adapted to be collaboratively operated with a cam unit of the improved former holder locking mechanism in the locking and unlocking positions according to preferred exemplary of the present invention; FIGS. 4a to 4b respectively shows enlarged side and top views of the cam unit of the improved former holder locking mechanism in the locking and unlocking positions according to preferred exemplary of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present invention relates to an improved former holder locking mechanism for use in latex dipping industry. Hereinafter, this specification will describe the present invention according to the preferred exemplary or embodiments of the present invention. However, it is to be understood that limiting the description to the preferred exemplary or embodiments of the invention is merely to facilitate discussion of the present invention and it is envisioned that those skilled in the art may devise various modifications and equivalents without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

The present invention aims to provide a practical and effective former holder system for rapid, easy and safe installation or replacement of the former. Accordingly, the present invention provides an improved former holder locking mechanism for use in latex dipping industry, one which will be more simple and effective approaches, and yet robust and durable in use. In particularly, the present invention is adapted to facilitate ready and easy assembling and disassembling of the former, by providing a guide means that is adapted to be collaboratively operated with active and passive cams of the cam unit that are in conjunction with the active and passive biasing elements, such that to enable a former to be either securely mounted in a cavity of the holder in locking position or to be effortlessly removed from the cavity of the holder in unlocking position. The present invention also adapted to provide safe and effective locking and unlocking operations.

The improved former holder locking mechanism for use in latex dipping industry according to the preferred exemplary of the present invention will now be described in accordance to the accompanying drawings FIGS. 1 a to 4b, either individually or in any combination thereof. In the preferred exemplary of the present invention , the improved former holder locking mechanism (100a) generally includes a shaft (1 10) collaboratively in communication with holder (120), a guide means (1 15), cam unit (130), active and passive biasing elements (140, 150) and retaining plate (160). Accordingly, the shaft (1 10) of the improved former holder locking mechanism (100a) may be selectively connected to a carrying arm (200) through a bearing assembly (210) depending upon the required usage and/or configuration of the former holder assembly. In the preferred exemplary, the holder (120) is provided with a cavity (121 ) to receive a former (300). The holder (120) also includes housing (122) to accommodate the cam unit (130).

By way of example, but not by way of limitation, the cam unit (130) of the improved former holder locking mechanism (100a) generally includes an active cam (130a) and a passive cam (130b) to perform the locking and unlocking operations. In the preferred exemplary of the present invention, each active cam (130a) and the passive cam (130b) is provided with predefined cam pathway (131 a, 131 b), such that they are able to collaboratively reciprocate in accordance with the locking and unlocking positions. Accordingly, the predefined cam pathway (131 a, 131 b) allows the active and passive cams (130a, 130b) to be collaboratively reciprocated in between predefined highest and lowest points, such that the active and passive cams (130a, 130b) are able to collaboratively reciprocate at least to achieve the predefined thickness, t in between the locking and unlocking positions.

It will be appreciated that the active cam (130a) is further provided with a locking protrusion (132a) that is able to engage with the mount opening of the former (300). Accordingly, the locking protrusion (132a) has at least predefined thickness, t that is substantially similar to the thickness of inner peripheral wall of the mount opening of the former (300), such that they are able to be simultaneously turned along the longitudinal axis of the shaft (1 10). It will be appreciated that the locking protrusion (132a) is further provided with engaging slice (133) that is adapted to be in communication with the guide means (1 15).

In the preferred exemplary of the present invention, the guide means (1 15) preferably includes a pair of protruded shaft (1 17) extended from its body. Accordingly, the pair of protruded shaft (1 17) is adapted to pierce through the holder (120) and slotably engaged with the engaging slice (133) at locking protrusions (132a) of the active cam (130a). The protruded shaft (1 17) is able to prevent the former (300) from being twisted or displaced in the locking position. It should be noted that the guide means (1 15) is adapted to be collaboratively operated with active and passive cams (130a, 130b) of the cam unit (130) and in conjunction with the active and passive biasing elements (140, 150) such that to enable a former (300) to be either securely mounted in a cavity (121 ) of the holder (120) in locking position or to be effortlessly removed from the cavity (121 ) of the holder (120) in unlocking position.

In the preferred exemplary, the improved former holder locking mechanism (100a) is further provided with a retaining plate (160) configured in adjacent with the locking protrusion (132a) of the active cam (130a). It should be noted that the retaining plate (160) and the locking protrusion (132a) of the active cam (130a) have a substantially similar profile or shape with the mount opening of the former (300), such that when the former holder is in the unlocking position, said retaining plate (160) and the locking protrusion (132a) of the active cam (130a) are able to be aligned along their longitudinal axis to allow the former (300) to be placed on the cavity (121 ) of the holder (120) to readily perform a turning motion into locking position.

It will be appreciated that in this position, outer peripheral surface (i.e. thickness, t) of the locking protrusion (132a) of the active cam (130a) is able to matingly engage with the inner peripheral wall surface of the mount opening of the former (300), such that when the former (300) is being turned to substantially right angle about its longitudinal axis, the mount opening of the former (300) would simultaneously urged the locking protrusion (132a) of the active cam (130a) to be turned thereof, leaving the stationary retaining plate (160) to engage with back wall surface of the mount opening of the former (300) in the locking position.

The active and passive biasing elements (140, 150) which are collaboratively work with the guide means (1 15), active and passive cams (130a, 130b), are served to securely urge the former (300) into reasonable tight engagement in the cavity (121 ) of the holder (120). Accordingly, the active and passive biasing elements (140, 150) are adapted to provide sufficient opposite forces to urge the guide means (1 15) and cam unit (130), such that to enable the active and passive cams (130a, 130b) to be securely travelled along their predefined cam pathway (131 a, 131 b) as the turning motion is being applied for locking or unlocking operations. It will be appreciated that such opposite forces induced by the active and passive biasing elements (140, 150) also enable impeccable displacement of the guide means (1 15) and cam unit (130) along the housing (122) without any obstructions. It is to be understood that both the set forth examples and detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only, and are not restrictive of the invention. As such, the set forth examples and detailed description, including structures, configurations, elements, and its contents or any other approaches as described above should not be construed as limiting, but as the best mode contemplated by the inventor for carrying out the invention. The invention being thus described, it will be obvious that the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the principle and scope of the invention, and all such modifications as would obvious to one skilled in the art intended to be included within the scope of following claims.