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

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 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. The present invention also facilitates ready and easy assembling and disassembling of the former, while at a same time provides 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 former holder locking mechanism includes: a) a shaft collaboratively in communication with holder; b) a cam unit having an active cam and a passive cam to perform locking and unlocking operations; c) active and passive biasing elements collaboratively work with the active and passive cams to securely urge a former into tight engagement with the cavity of the holder; d) retaining plate configured in adjacent with locking protrusion of the active cam; wherein each active cam and the passive cam is provided with predefined cam pathway, such that they are able to collaboratively reciprocate in accordance with the locking and unlocking positions; and wherein the active and passive biasing elements enable to provide sufficient opposite forces to urge the cam unit, such that to enable the active and passive cams to be securely travelled along their predefined cam pathway as turning motion is being applied for locking or unlocking operations.

It will be appreciated that the shaft of the former holder locking mechanism can be selectively connected to a carrying arm either with or without a bearing assembly. In the preferred exemplary, the holder is provided with a cavity to receive the former, said holder also includes a housing to accommodate the cam unit. The holder is further furnished with a projection to engage with a former in a locking position. Accordingly, the projection has a similar fashion of contour / profile with a mount opening (not shown) of the former, such that said projection is able to prevent the former from being twisted or displaced in the locking position. It should be noted that the active cam is further provided with a locking protrusion to engage with the mount opening of the former. Accordingly, the locking protrusion has predefined thickness, t that is substantially similar to the th ickness of inner peripheral wall of the mount opening of the former such that they are able to be simultaneously turned along the longitudinal axis of the shaft.

It will be appreciated that the locking protrusion of the active cam and the retaining plate have a substantially similar profile or shape with the mount opening of the former, such that when the former holder is in the unlocking position, the locking protrusion of the active cam and the retaining plate are able to be aligned along their longitudinal axis to allow the former to be placed on the cavity of the holder to readily perform a turning motion into locking position.

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

It will be appreciated that the active biasing element may be selectively equipped or configured, either in adjacent to the retaining plate or in between the holder and carrying arm. It will also be appreciated that the active and passive biasing elements also enable to induce opposite forces for impeccable displacement of the embedded cam unit within the housing without any obstructions. By way of example, but not limitation, 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 said 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 a former holder locking mechanism which is carried by carrying arm with bearing assembly, and having an active biasing element configured in adjacent to the retaining plate in a locking and unlocking positions in accordance with preferred exemplary of present invention;

FIGS. 1 c and 1 d respectively show an exploded cross-sectional side view of the 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. 2a and 2b respectively illustrate a former holder locking mechanism which is carried by carrying arm with bearing assembly, and having an active biasing element configured in between the holder and carrying arm, in a locking and unlocking positions in accordance with preferred exemplary of present invention;

FIGS. 2c and 2d respectively show an exploded cross-sectional side view of the former holder locking mechanism of FIS. 2a and 2b, in the locking and unlocking positions in accordance with preferred exemplary of the present invention; FIGS. 3a and 3b respectively illustrate a former holder locking mechanism which is carried by carrying arm without bearing assembly, and having an active biasing element configured in adjacent to the retaining plate in a locking and unlocking positions in accordance with preferred exemplary of present invention;

FIGS. 3c and 3d respectively show an exploded cross-sectional side view of the former holder locking mechanism of FIS. 3a and 3b, in the locking and unlocking positions in accordance with preferred exemplary of the present invention;

FIGS. 4a to 4c respectively shows an enlarged front, top and perspective view of a cam unit of the former holder locking mechanism in the locking position in accordance with preferred exemplary of the present invention;

FIGS. 5a to 5c respectively shows an enlarged front, top and perspective view of the cam unit of the former holder locking mechanism in the unlocking position in accordance with 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. The present invention also facilitates ready and easy assembling and disassembling of the former, while at a same time provides safe and effective locking and unlocking operations.

The 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 5c, either individually or in any combination thereof.

Accordingly, the former holder locking mechanism (100) generally includes a shaft (1 10) collaboratively in communication with holder (120), cam unit (130), active and passive biasing elements (140, 150) and retaining plate (160). Accordingly, the shaft (1 10) of the former holder locking mechanism (100) may be selectively connected to a carrying arm (200a, 200b) either with or without a bearing assembly (210) (see FIG. 1 a - 3d) 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). Said holder (120) also provided with housing (122) to accommodate the cam unit (130). It should be noted that the holder (120) is further furnished with a projection (123) to engage with a former (300) in a locking position. By way of example but not limitation, the projection (123) has a similar fashion of contour / profile with a mount opening (not shown) of the former (300), such that said projection (123) is able to prevent the former (300) from being twisted or displaced in the locking position.

It should be noted that the cam unit (130) of the former holder locking mechanism (100) 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 (see FIG. 4a - 5c). It will be appreciated that the active cam (130a) is further provided with a locking protrusion (132a) to engage with the mount opening of the former (300). By way of example but not limitation, the locking protrusion (132a) has 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). By way of example, but not limitation, the predefined cam pathway (131 a, 131 b) enables the active cam (130a) and the passive cam (130b) to collaboratively reciprocate in between predetermined highest and lowest points, or to collaboratively reciprocate at least to achieve the said predefined thickness, t in between the locking and unlocking positions. In the preferred exemplary of the present invention , the former holder locking mechanism (100) is further provided 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 (see FIG. 1 b), 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). At this point, the former (300) would be in the locking position (see FIG. 1 a).

The active and passive biasing elements (140, 150) which are collaboratively work with the active and passive cams (130a, 130b), are served to securely urge the former (300) into tight engagement with the cavity (121 ) of the holder (120). Accordingly, said active and passive biasing elements (140, 150) enable to provide sufficient opposite forces to urge the 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 embedded cam unit (130) within the housing (122) without any obstructions.

It will be appreciated that the active biasing element (140) may be selectively equipped or configured, either in adjacent to the retaining plate (160) or in between the holder (120) and carrying arm (200a, 200b) (see FIG. 1 a - 3d) depending upon the required usage and/or configuration of the former holder assembly.

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.