Swing control device for a swing chair

ABSTRACT

A swing control device for a swing chair has a sensing element mounted on the enclosure with holes so defined that the rotation of the linkage blocks some of the holes, a sensor sensing the number of blocked holes and sending a signal to a circuit board to match with a predetermined number in the circuit board and then sending out a correction signal to the linkage to adjust the amplitude of pivotal movement of the linkage.

INFORMATION

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, the swing control device in accordance with the present invention has a housing composed of a first half with multiple bores defined to receive therein pushbuttons that are mounted on a top face of the first half and a second half together with the first half to define a space for receiving therein the swing control device of the invention.

The transmission mechanism of the swing chair has a motor with an extension integrally formed on the threaded spindle of the motor , a worm gear matingly engaged with the threaded spindle of the motor and having an eccentric pin , a linkage pivotally clamped between the first and second halves , of the housing and having a slot defined to receive the eccentric pin therethrough, a battery compartment in the second half for receiving therein batteries to provide electric power to the motor , a first bearing provided to the linkage to smoothen the pivotal movement of the linkage , a recoil element , preferably a coil spring, one end of which is securely connected to a cover to provide a recoil force to the linkage , an axle extending through the recoil element and engaged with the linkage , a second bearing provided to the axle to provide smoothness to the pivotal movement of the axle , an enclosure provided to receive the second bearing , the axle , the recoil element and the cover therein and a cap mounted on an outside of the enclosure to limit the extension of the axle .

Because how the transmission mechanism works is not the focus of the invention and has been specifically disclosed in the abovesaid prior art, the operation of how the transmission mechanism works is thus omitted from the following description.

As previously described, the housing has multiple pushbuttons operatably connected with a circuit board to control the swing amplitude of the swing chair. From the structure described in the abovesaid prior art, the swing amplitude is determined by the length of the slot in the linkage . When the worm gear is generally worn out due to long use, a sensing element is provided on the enclosure and has boles defined therein to monitor the amplitude of the linkage . That is, when the linkage rotates, the linkage blocks some of the holes . When a number of holes are blocked by the linkage , a signal will be received by a sensor connected with the batteries and then sent out to the circuit board to match with the predetermined amplitude. If the amplitude detected by the sensor does not match with the predetermined amplitude, the circuit board will then automatically correct the error and then increase/decrease the rotation of the motor to force the linkage to increase/decrease its swing amplitude.

Because the circuit for monitoring and receiving/sending out a signal is well known in the art, detailed circuit diagram is omitted from the description. However, this correction structure used in the swing chair is novel and unique over the existing art.

Even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the invention, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the swing chair of the invention.

FIG. 2 shows the housing of the swing control device in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the swing control device with two halves of the housing.

FIG. 4 is a partial exploded perspective view of the assembled transmission mechanism of the swing chair.

FIG. 5 is a schematic side plan view of the assembled transmission mechanism, wherein an extension of the motor is shown to engage with a side wall of the second half.

CLAIMS

1. A swing control device for a swing chair having a motor, a worm gear matingly engaged with a threaded spindle of the motor and having an eccentric pin, a linkage pivotally clamped between first and second halves of a housing and having a slot defined to receive the eccentric pin therethrough, a battery compartment in the second half for receiving therein batteries to provide electric power to the motor, a first bearing provided to the linkage to smoothen the pivotal movement of the linkage, a recoil element one end of which is securely connected to a cover to provide a recoil force to the linkage, an axle extending through the recoil element and engaged with the linkage, a second bearing provided to the axle to provide smoothness to the pivotal movement of the axle, an enclosure provided to receive the second bearing, the axle, the recoil element and the cover therein and a cap mounted on an outside of the enclosure to limit the extension of the axle, wherein the improvements comprise: a swing control device having a sensing element mounted on the enclosure and having holes so defined that the rotation of the linkage blocks some of the holes, a sensor sensing the number of blocked holes and sending a signal to a circuit board to match with a predetermined number in the circuit board and then sending out a correction signal to the linkage to adjust the amplitude of the pivotal movement of the linkage.

2. The swing control device as claimed in claim 1, wherein a speaker is provided to provide music when the swing chair is in use.

3. A swing control device for a swing chair comprising: a motor with a threaded spindle and an extension integrally formed with the threaded spindle, wherein the extension is so configured that the extension engages with a side face of the swing chair; a worm gear matingly engaged with the threaded spindle of the motor and having an eccentric pin; a linkage pivotally clamped between first and second halves of a housing and having a slot defined to receive the eccentric pin therethrough; a battery compartment in the second half of the housing for receiving therein batteries to provide electric power to the motor; a first bearing provided to the linkage to smoothen the pivotal movement of the linkage; a recoil element one end of which is securely connected to a cover to provide a recoil force to the linkage; an axle extending through the recoil element and engaging with the linkage; a second bearing provided to the axle to provide smoothness to the pivotal movement of the axle; an enclosure provided to receive the second bearing, the axle, the recoil element and the cover therein; a cap mounted on an outside of the enclosure to limit the extension of the axle; a sensing element mounted on the enclosure and having holes so defined that the rotation of the linkage blocks some of the holes; a sensor sensing the number of blocked holes and sending a signal to a circuit board to match with a predetermined number in the circuit board and then sending out a correction signal to the linkage to adjust the amplitude of the pivotal movement of the linkage, wherein a loose contact between the worm gear and the threaded spindle is avoided by the engagement of the extension with the side face of the swing chair.

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