ANTI-BUCKLING DEVICE CAPABLE OF GUIDING A CYLINDRICAL ELEMENT THAT IS PUSHED AND MOVED OVER A GIVEN DISTANCE IN THE DIRECTION OF ITS AXIS

Abstract

An anti-buckling device capable of guiding a cylindrical element that is pushed and moved over a given distance C in the direction of its axis XX′, said device being made up of at least two elementary cylindrical tubes that are nested and guided mutually in one another in order to form a tubular telescopic assembly of axis XX′ and of given length L, such that at least one of said elementary tubes comprises a transverse support having an orifice positioned inside the cylinder of the elementary tube capable of guiding said cylindrical element fitted into this orifice and pushed through this telescopic assembly.

Claims

1. An anti-buckling device capable of guiding a cylindrical element, that is pushed and moved over a given travel C in the direction of its axis XX′ and consists of at least two elementary cylindrical tubes that are nested and guided mutually in one another in order to form a tubular telescopic assembly of axis XX′ and of given length L, wherein at least one of said elementary tubes comprises a transverse support having an orifice positioned inside the cylinder of the elementary tube and capable of guiding said cylindrical element fitted into this orifice and pushed through this telescopic assembly.

2. The anti-buckling device according to claim 1, wherein the transverse support is positioned at the end of the elementary tube, end by which it slides into the adjacent elementary tube of larger diameter.

3. The anti-buckling device according to claim 1, wherein the tubular telescopic assembly retracts as and at the same time as the cylindrical element is pushed from the proximal end toward the other distal end of this tubular telescopic assembly.

4. The anti-buckling device according to claim 3 wherein the overlapping of at least one elementary tube by another is total in the totally retracted position.

5. The anti-buckling device according to claim 3, wherein each elementary tube comprises on the one hand at least one notch forming a longitudinal slot running partially along at least one generatrix of this elementary tube, and on the other hand at least one lug positioned on its cylindrical wall and which is inserted into the longitudinal slot of an adjacent elementary tube.

6. The anti-buckling device according to the claim 1 wherein the transverse support having the orifice is positioned at the center of the cylinder of the elementary tube, which comprises said support.

7. The anti-buckling device according to the claim 1, wherein the support of each elementary tube is a bulkhead forming a sheet-disc bored by said orifice.

8. The anti-buckling device according to claim 7, wherein the sheet-disc comprises at least one radial notch forming a slot from the cylindrical wall of the elementary tube into which one of its ends opens to said orifice into which its other end opens.

9. The anti-buckling device according to claim 5, wherein the at least one lug is positioned on the inner surface of the cylindrical wall of each elementary tube, following at least one generatrix thereof extending the end of the at least one radial notch opening onto said wall and toward the edge thereof opposite to the transverse support, said lug being inserted into the at least one longitudinal slot of the adjacent elementary tube of smaller diameter which slides inside said elementary tube.

10. The anti-buckling device according to claim 5, wherein the at least one longitudinal notch and the at least one radial notch are positioned staggered with respect to one another.

11. The anti-buckling device according to the claim 1, wherein it comprises a rotating system at least at one of the ends of the telescopic tubular assembly capable of allowing the rotation of this telescopic assembly.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0020] FIG. 1 is a side view of a first embodiment of a device according to the invention, made up of three elementary tubes, in the maximum extended position and wherein the references to the present disclosure are denoted with a “′”;

[0021] FIG. 2 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view, along a plane passing through its axis XX′, of the device of FIG. 1 still in the extended position;

[0022] FIG. 3 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view, like in FIG. 2, of the device of FIG. 1 but in the maximum retracted position.

[0023] FIG. 4 is a three-quarter side external perspective view of a second embodiment of a device according to the invention, made up of eleven elementary tubes, in the maximum retracted position and wherein the references to the disclosure hereinafter are noted without “′”;

[0024] FIG. 5 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view, along a plane passing through its axis XX′, of the device of FIG. 4 still in the maximum retracted position;

[0025] FIG. 6 is an external side view of the device of FIGS. 4 and 5 but in the maximum extended position;

[0026] FIG. 7 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view, like in FIG. 5, of the device of FIG. 6 in the maximum extended position;

[0027] FIG. 8 is a three-quarter side external perspective view of an elementary tube of a device according to the invention;

[0028] FIG. 9 is a three-quarter side external perspective view, partially cross-sectional (to better explain certain characteristics) over a quarter of their cylindrical part of three elementary tubes of a device according to the invention in the extended position;

[0029] FIGS. 10 to 12 depict a third embodiment of a device according to the invention, made up of a median tube of larger diameter receiving in each of its ends elementary tubes, respectively in a maximum extended position, in three-quarter side perspective, and on the one hand (FIG. 10) in external view and on the other hand (FIG. 11) partially cross-sectional over a quarter of its periphery, and a maximum retracted position in three-quarter side perspective and partially cross-sectional (FIG. 12) and wherein the references to the disclosure hereinafter are noted with “′”;

[0030] FIGS. 10 to 12 depict a third embodiment of a device according to the invention, made up of a median tube of larger diameter receiving in each of its ends elementary tubes, respectively in a maximum extended position, in three-quarter side perspective, and on the one hand (FIG. 10) in external view and on the other hand (FIG. 11) partially cross-sectional over a quarter of its periphery, and a maximum retracted position in three-quarter side perspective, and partially cross-sectional (FIG. 12) and wherein the references to the disclosure hereinafter are noted with “′”;

[0031] FIGS. 10 to 12 depict a third embodiment of a device according to the invention, made up of a median tube of larger diameter receiving in each of its ends elementary tubes, respectively in a maximum extended position, in three-quarter side perspective, and on the one hand (FIG. 10) in external view and on the other hand (FIG. 11) partially cross-sectional over a quarter of its periphery, and a maximum retracted position in three-quarter side perspective, and partially cross-sectional (FIG. 12) and wherein the references to the disclosure hereinafter are noted with “′”.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0032] As depicted in the figures, the anti-buckling device, capable of guiding a cylindrical element 3 that is pushed and moved over a given travel C in the direction of its axis XX′, consists of at least two (or three in FIGS. 1 to 3, and eleven in FIGS. 4 to 7) elementary cylindrical tubes 2 that are nested in one another as tightly as possible while allowing them to slide with respect to each other without any effort, and thus guiding one another in order to form a tubular telescopic assembly 1 of axis XX′ and of given length L, which is capable of retracting as and at the same time as the cylindrical element 3 is pushed from the proximal end 4 toward the other distal end 5 of this tubular telescopic assembly 1.

[0033] The length L thereof is equal, in the at least partially extended position, to the travel C increased by the lengths h.sub.4 and h.sub.5 of the proximal and distal ends 4, 5 respectively of this telescopic assembly 1 and by the length l.sub.1 of the elementary tube 2.sub.1 of larger diameter as depicted in FIGS. 1, 2, 6 and 7 also in the maximum extended position.

[0034] According to the invention, at least one, and preferably all as depicted in the figures, of said elementary tubes 2.sub.i which slides inside the adjacent elementary tube of larger diameter 20 comprises a transverse support 6.sub.i comprising an orifice 7.sub.i positioned inside, and even at the center, of the cylinder of each elementary tube and capable of guiding said cylindrical element 3, in particular semi-rigid, fitted into this orifice 7.sub.i and pushed through this telescopic assembly 1.

[0035] In the embodiments depicted in FIGS. 1 to 7 and 9, and in that depicted in FIGS. 10 to 12 with regard to the elementary tubes 2.sub.i other than the central tube 2.sub.1″ of larger diameter, the transverse support 6.sub.i is positioned at the end of the elementary tube 2.sub.i, end by which it slides into the adjacent elementary tube of larger diameter 2.sub.i−1.

[0036] According to the embodiments depicted in FIGS. 1 to 7, the elementary tubes 2.sub.i are of decreasing length li (or equal, for a given elementary tube 2.sub.i, to the length l.sub.i−1 of the adjacent elementary tube 2.sub.i−1 of larger diameter, in which the given elementary tube 2.sub.i, slides, reduced by at least the thickness of its transverse support 6.sub.i) from the elementary tube 2.sub.1 of larger diameter, and either until the tube of smaller diameter like in FIG. 3, or until the third to last one like in FIG. 5, and so, as may be noted in these FIGS. 3 and 5, its minimum length D, in the totally retracted position, can be equal to the sum of that of the elementary tube 2.sub.1 of larger diameter and those h.sub.4 and h.sub.5 of the ends 4, 5 of the telescopic assembly 1.

[0037] According to the embodiment depicted in FIGS. 10 to 12, the elementary tube 2.sub.1″ of larger diameter is located at the middle M (in the direction of its axis XX′) of the telescopic assembly 1″ and comprises a transverse support 6.sub.1″ of the orifice 7.sub.1″ which is positioned about the axis XX′ on the inside, and even in one particular embodiment at the center, of the cylinder of this elementary tube 2.sub.1″, said transverse support 6.sub.1″ being in turn positioned near the middle, if not at the middle, of this elementary tube 2.sub.1″ (in the direction of the length li″ thereof and thus splitting it into two): each end of length l.sub.1″/2 of this elementary tube 2.sub.1″ of larger diameter then receives at least one (such as four as depicted in these FIGS. 10 to 12) elementary cylindrical tube 2.sub.21″ and 2.sub.22″.

[0038] These elementary cylindrical tubes 2.sub.21″ and 2.sub.22″ have a length l.sub.2″ at most equal to the half-length l.sub.1″/2 of the elementary tube 2.sub.1″ of larger diameter which receives them at each of its ends and are nested therein; then optionally other elementary tubes 2.sub.i1″ and 2.sub.i2″ (or three more according to FIGS. 10 to 12) consecutively nest inside one another, in order to form two opposing telescopic sub-assemblies, each of these sub-assemblies being able to be made like the telescopic assemblies 1 and 1′ disclosed previously according to FIGS. 1 to 9.

[0039] In this particular embodiment, the elementary tube 2.sub.1″ of larger diameter is admittedly, for an identical total extension travel C and the same number of elementary tubes 2.sub.i, twice as long as in the embodiments according to FIGS. 4 to 7, which depicts a minimum retraction length that is also twice as long but then has a much smaller diameter, which can be useful and adequate according to the application in question.

[0040] In order to further solve the aforementioned problems of nesting and guiding the elementary tubes 2 in one another, as well as of risks of these coming detached with respect to one another, each elementary tube 2.sub.i comprises on the one hand at least one notch as in the embodiment depicted in FIGS. 1 to 3 (or two and even three as depicted in FIGS. 6 to 9) forming a longitudinal slot 8.sub.i running partially along at least one generatrix of this elementary tube 2.sub.i and on the other hand at least one lug 10.sub.i (or two and even three as depicted also in FIGS. 6 to 9) positioned on its cylindrical wall 12.sub.i and capable of being inserted into and engaging with the at least one longitudinal slot 8 of an adjacent elementary tube 2.

[0041] In the case of several slots 8.sub.i, these preferentially split uniformly, at the same distance from one another, the periphery of the elementary tube 2i, and in this case there are also several lugs 10.sub.i (or as many as there are slots) which are positioned at the same distance from one another on the cylindrical wall of the elementary tube 2i.

[0042] Thus, according to the location and the length of the one or more longitudinal slots 8.sub.i for each elementary tube 2.sub.i and the position of the one or more lugs 10.sub.i on the adjacent elementary tube, the travel e.sub.i of each of the elementary tubes 2.sub.i is limited both in the direction of their extension with respect to the tube into which it is nested (while ensuring that the sum of all these elementary travels e.sub.i is at least equal to the total desired travel C for extension of the telescopic assembly 1) and in the direction of their retraction, and this thus guarantees nesting and overlapping (between the cylindrical walls of two adjacent elementary tubes 2i, 2i−1 and 2i, 2i+1) which are sufficient in the maximum extended position to allow correct guiding and maintaining of these elementary tubes in the axis XX′, and thus the risk of the telescopic assembly 1 becoming detached is entirely avoided.

[0043] To also solve the problems of heeling of the elementary tubes 2i, of lateral bending of the telescopic assembly 1 in the maximum extended position, and even of the risk of it buckling thereof, the length li of each elementary tube 2i can be determined in such a way that the overlap, in the totally retracted position, of each elementary tube 2i+1 by the next one 2i is maximum, as it appears for example in FIG. 5, the length li of each elementary tube 2i+1 not exceeding that of the adjacent tube 2i in which it is nested. The heeling of the elementary tubes 2i against one another is thus reduced as is the lateral bending and the risk of buckling of the telescopic assembly 1.

[0044] Thus, for example, as depicted in FIG. 7, the travel ei of the elementary tubes 2i having small diameters (located toward the distal end 5 of the telescopic assembly 1) can be 80% of the height li of their cylindrical wall 12i while the travel of those having large diameters (located toward the proximal end 4 of the telescopic assembly 1) can be 60%.

[0045] In a preferred embodiment the support 6.sub.i of each elementary tube 2.sub.i (which could also be for example a simple crosspiece positioned along a radius of the cylinder of the elementary tube and extending from its wall 12.sub.i, where it is fixed, to the inside, and even in one particular embodiment at the center, of the cylinder, or a sort of perforated mesh covering all or part of the section of the cylinder) is a bulkhead forming a sheet-disc bored by said orifice 7.sub.i and comprising at least one (or two and even three in the embodiment depicted in FIGS. 8 and 9) radial notch forming a slot 9.sub.i from the cylindrical wall 12.sub.i of the elementary tube 2.sub.i, into which one of its ends 14.sub.i opens, to said orifice 7.sub.i into which its other end opens; and when there are several slots, these uniformly split, into as many zones of the same area (or for three slots 9.sub.i, disc quarters with a 120° angle at the center) the surface of the sheet-disc 6.sub.i: these radial slots 9.sub.i make it possible to deform the wall 12.sub.i of each elementary tube 2.sub.i in order to allow the passage and the insertion of its lug or lugs 10.sub.i into the longitudinal notch or notches 8.sub.i of the adjacent elementary tube and thus to facilitate the nesting of the tubes in one another during the mounting and assembly of the telescopic assembly 1.

[0046] Preferably, as it can be seen in FIG. 9, the at least one (as depicted in FIGS. 1 to 3, or two, or three as depicted in the embodiment according to FIGS. 4 to 7, or even more) lug 10.sub.i is positioned on the inner surface of the cylindrical wall 12.sub.i of each elementary tube 2.sub.i, along a generatrix thereof extending the end 14.sub.i of the at least one radial notch 9.sub.i opening onto said wall 12.sub.i and toward the edge 13.sub.i thereof opposite to the support 6.sub.i, said lug being inserted into the longitudinal slot 8.sub.i+1 of the adjacent elementary tube 2.sub.i+1 of smaller diameter which slides inside said elementary tube 2.sub.i.

[0047] The at least one (or two or more) longitudinal notch 8.sub.i and the at least one (or two or more) radial notch 9.sub.i of each elementary tube 2.sub.i are positioned staggered with respect to one another and at an equal distance from one another, thus forming: [0048] in the case of a single longitudinal notch and a single radial notch, as in FIGS. 1 to 3, two angles of 180° therebetween since they are then diametrically opposite one another, [0049] in the case of three longitudinal notches 8.sub.i and three radial notches 9.sub.i, as according to FIGS. 4 to 7, angles of 60° therebetween.

[0050] The telescopic assembly 1 can also comprise a rotating system 11 at least at one of its ends 4, 5 (or in FIGS. 1 to 7, at the proximal end 4 at which the pushing on the cylindrical element 3 is also exerted) and which is capable of allowing the rotation of this telescopic assembly 1.