JP2007520294A - Furniture or utensil travel rollers and furniture or utensil parts with such travel rollers - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve the maneuverability of a running roller of furniture or equipment.
The invention relates to a running roller (8) for furniture or appliances comprising a shaft (9) and a wheel (10) mounted for rotational movement on the shaft (9). 9) has an extending direction. In order to improve the type of travel roller of interest to achieve the advantageous operability of furniture or appliance parts equipped with such a travel roller, the wheel (10) on the shaft (9) is replaced by the shaft (9). The wheel (10) is arranged so as to move in the extension direction of the shaft (9) by an amount corresponding to more than half of the width (b) of the wheel (10) on the shaft (9). is suggesting.
[Selection] Figure 5

Description

The present invention relates to a running roller for furniture or appliances comprising a shaft and wheels mounted for rotational movement on the shaft, the shaft having an extending direction.

The types of traveling rollers of interest are known, for example, movable furniture, rollered containers, and the like, and the range of floor nozzles and / or users who perform more movable equipment, particularly vacuum cleaner flooring. It is used in the working range of cleaning floor utensils that can be rolled and used for pulling.

In connection with the above-mentioned prior art, the present invention has the problem of improving the topical types of running rollers in furniture or appliance parts with such running rollers to achieve more advantageous operability. Focused on the point.

This problem is first solved essentially by the object of claim 1 with an emphasis on arranging the wheel on the shaft so that it can be moved in the direction of extension of the shaft by an amount corresponding to more than half the width of the wheel. I put it. Such a configuration provides a roller that facilitates steering movement by the user in a structurally simple manner. Since the wheel can move along the extension direction of the shaft, the steering force acting on the traveling roller is replaced by the axial displacement of the wheel. In this case, the dimension that can be moved in the axial direction, which corresponds to at least half the width of the wheel at the thickness measured in the axial direction, is important for the steering radius. The displacement distance on both sides of the wheel is preferably several times the width of the wheel, for example 1 to 5 times. Furthermore, it is also possible to attach a large number of wheels arranged adjacent to each other on the shaft so as to be able to rotate, and to move along the attached shaft in response to the influence of the steering operation. With the arrangement according to the invention, the frictional force between the running roller and the floor is clearly reduced for the user compared to a running roller that cannot move on the shaft. In order to further enhance this effect, a preferred configuration in which the shaft is bent in the extending direction, preferably curved in an arc shape, can be considered, and the controllability of the traveling roller formed in this way and the accompanying change in frictional resistance against the floor are accompanied. Further improved. In order for the wheel attached to the shaft to occupy the center position of the automatically curved shaft during linear movement, the curve is opposite to the normal direction of travel of the traveling roller, and the lateral force is applied to the shaft by the steering force applied to the wheel. It is preferable to move along. In order to further improve the linear mobility of the running roller, the object of the present invention is further improved so that the wheel is pressed against the priority position on the shaft by a spring. Furthermore, this priority position may be another position on the shaft so that the travel roller can occupy the steering priority position. In this context, it is proposed to allow the wheel to move from the priority position to both sides of the axis extension direction by at least half the width of the wheel. The wheels are attached directly to the shaft at the hub. Alternatively, an arrangement can be chosen in which the wheels are attached to the shaft via ball or roller bearings. In the case of a curved shaft configuration, the shaft is extended to an angle range of 20 ° to 180 °, preferably about 90 °, so that the wheel attached to the shaft is conveniently on both sides from the central preferred position. It is possible to move about 45 ° along the extension direction of the shaft. In this case, it is convenient if the free length of the shaft is at least twice the width of the wheel, and this free length is further equivalent to 20 times the width of the wheel. After all, the free length is preferably about 6 times the wheel width.

The invention further relates to a piece of furniture or appliance having a running roller including wheels mounted on the shaft for rotational movement, the shaft having an extension direction. In order to improve the operability especially when moving such furniture or equipment parts, the wheel on the shaft can be moved in the extension direction of the shaft by an amount corresponding to more than half of the width of the wheel. It is proposed to arrange the wheels on the shaft to move in the direction of extension of the shaft. With such a construction, furniture or appliance parts can be obtained which can be operated in a simple manner by the running rollers. The configuration of the selected travel roller reduces the frictional force during steering between the part and the floor to a minimum so that the user can easily slide the part. In response to the influence of the steering force, the wheels move along the axis and are automatically steered by collaboration with the point where the force of the furniture or appliance part acts. An arrangement is also conceivable in which a number of wheels are mounted next to each other along with mounting on the shaft of one wheel. As a preferred configuration, it is conceivable that furniture or appliance parts are provided with a running roller having wheels that can be moved on an axis in the direction of advancement or the direction of preferential advancement by first providing a support roller. As a result, a part formed so as to be able to steer a range in front of a normal traveling direction is obtained. The support roller arranged at the rear side helps to stabilize the linear movement. The selected arrangement can be provided on the floor nozzle of an ordinary household vacuum cleaner, where the floor nozzle working the floor is moved by the handle of the appliance, in which case it is convenient for the user to push the floor nozzle forward by the handle of the appliance. It is. In order to reduce the frictional forces during maneuvering, the solution according to the invention uses a maneuvering roller with wheels moving on an axis according to the invention in front of the floor nozzle part in the preferential or sliding direction. In a preferred configuration, two support rollers are provided axially apart from each other, two travel rollers having moving wheels are provided in a similar manner apart from each other, and the support rollers and travel rollers are separated in the direction of travel. . This arrangement provides a four-point support for furniture or appliance parts formed from two support rollers and two steering rollers, and as already mentioned, the steering rollers are located on the front side of the furniture or appliance parts. It is preferable that the force exerted on the parts in the range of the support roller or the influence of the steering force is arranged in the preferential direction of the range, and is applied to the range of the support roller and further between the support rollers arranged apart from each other. It is particularly advantageous if the wheel moving on the shaft can move on an axially curved shaft, so that the wheel automatically occupies a preferred position on the shaft, which is pushed by the spring from both sides. The top wheel can be found automatically. Finally, it is proposed that the curvature of the shaft be on the opposite side of the direction of travel, preferably on the opposite side of the normal direction of travel. The normal direction of travel is, for example, forward in a vacuum cleaner, and the user pushes the vacuum cleaner forward with the floor nozzle.

The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings depicting only a number of embodiments.

A traveling roller for furniture or equipment having excellent maneuverability can be obtained.

First, with reference to FIG. 1, a household vacuum cleaner 1 having an accessory 4 that forms a part 3 of the appliance that can be fluidly and electrically connected to the guide handle 2 and the vacuum cleaner 1 will be illustrated and described.

The accessory 4 or appliance part 3 is formed as a floor nozzle and has a suction duct 5 of a normal shape oriented transversely to the normal direction of travel r, in which a floor work brush 6 driven by an electric motor. Is placed.

The appliance part 3 according to the invention is supported on the floor on which the work is carried out by four rollers, and is arranged apart from each other in the axial direction in a range corresponding to the connection range to the cleaner 1 on the rear side in the traveling direction r. Two support rollers 7 are provided. This support roller 7 is disposed directly in the operating range of the guide handle 2.

Furthermore, two more rollers are arranged near the front side of the instrument part 3 in the normal traveling direction r (the normal traveling direction r corresponds to the pushing direction, and the user of the cleaner pushes out with the guide handle 2). It is formed in the form of a steering roller as the running roller 8 of the instrument. These are also separated from each other in the lateral direction of the traveling direction. The arrangement of the running roller 8 of this instrument can be selected to be arranged on the side of the suction duct 5 away from the support roller 7. However, as shown in FIG. 11, the travel roller 8 of the instrument may be disposed in front of the suction duct 5 in the normal movement direction r in front of the suction duct 5, that is, on the suction duct side when viewed from the support roller 7. Conceivable.

The configuration of the running roller 8 of the instrument formed as a control roller may be different from that shown.

In the first embodiment according to FIGS. 2 and 3, two appliance running rollers 8 are provided on the front side of the appliance, each running roller 8 being parallel to the straight support roller axis and in the normal direction of travel r. A wheel 10 is provided so as to be able to rotate on a shaft 9 facing the wheel. The wheel 10 is attached to the bottom of the instrument by adjusting the direction of the shaft 9, and the width measured in the axial direction passes through the portion of the wheel window 12 that is dimensioned to allow the wheel 10 to move axially on the shaft. The width of the window is provided so that the wheel 10 can move about four times the width b of the wheel 10 in the extending direction of the shaft 9.

As an alternative, the wheel 10 may be pressed against the priority position on the shaft 9 by a spring, as shown in FIG. For this reason, compression springs 13 are provided on both sides of the wheel 10 so as to surround the shaft 9, one side being supported by the wheel 10 and the other side being supported by the instrument case. As a result, the wheel 10 is pressed against the central priority position by the spring as shown in FIG.

In the case of rotational movement of the accessory device 4 operated by the guide handle 2, the wheel 10 is correspondingly displaced along the axis 9 against the spring force of the compression spring 13 and assists the rotation of the device 4 on the floor. . Sliding between the wheel 10 and the floor is thereby reduced to a minimum and serves to reduce the operating force of the user.

Alternative configurations are shown in FIGS. Here, the wheel 10 of the running roller 8 of the instrument is mounted on a shaft 9 curved in an arc shape so as to rotate, and the curve of the shaft 9 is performed in the direction opposite to the normal traveling direction r. The wheel window 12 through which the wheel 10 on the bottom 11 of the instrument passes is adapted to the curvature and adapted to the extension dimension of the shaft 9, and the curved shaft 9 extends over an angular range α of about 90 °.

Regardless of the specific embodiment, the shaft 9 is attached to the shaft mounting portion 14 on the instrument case side at both ends.

The free length of the shaft 9 for the free movement of the wheel 10 corresponding to the illustrated embodiment is about 7 times the wheel width b.

The curved configuration of the shaft 9 causes the wheel 10 to occupy a central priority position as shown in FIG. 5, and the wheel 10 moves from this priority position in the case of maneuvering.

In the case of linear advance in the direction of travel r, the wheel 10 tends to rotate at a preferential center position. When steered to the left (see FIG. 8), the wheel 10 moves to the right on the shaft 9 and is forced by the shaft 9 to automatically change direction in the desired direction of movement. The wheels 10 move to the right on their respective axes 9 and draw a circular arc trajectory in which the instrument part 3 travels. In the case of a steering movement to the right (see FIG. 9), the situation is reflected.

In the illustrated embodiment, each wheel 10 has a hub portion 15 supported directly on the shaft 9. However, it is also conceivable to arrange ball or roller bearings in the hub part 15.

Furthermore, it is important that the central hole 16 of each wheel 10 is adapted to the radius of curvature for insertion into the shaft 9. The smaller the radius of curvature of the curved shaft 9, the larger the center hole 16 of the wheel 10 is compared to the diameter of the shaft. Further, the center hole diameter 16 increases depending on the width b of the wheel 10.

Furthermore, the radius of curvature of the curved shaft 9 is important. At a certain steering angle of the vacuum cleaner 1, the radius of the curve along which the traveling roller 8 of the instrument to be steered moves becomes small when the radius of curvature is small.

Further, the traveling roller 8 of the appliance having the wheel 10 arranged to move on the curved shaft 9 is provided with compression springs 13 arranged on both sides of the wheel 10 so that the wheel 10 occupies the central priority position. You can also Such a solution is shown in FIG. With such a configuration, in the return movement in the direction opposite to the normal traveling direction of the instrument part 3, the wheel 10 returns to the central priority position. With this configuration, the linear movement is surely performed in the normal traveling direction r and the reverse traveling direction.

In this case, the compression spring 13 is selected so that the normal steering movement in the forward direction, that is, the normal traveling direction r, is performed in a short time by the movement of the wheel 10.

FIG. 11 shows a further embodiment with a running roller 8 of the appliance according to the embodiment of FIGS. 5 to 9, in which a configuration is selected in which the running roller is arranged in front of the suction duct 5 in the normal direction of travel r did.

Finally, an alternative configuration is also conceivable, in particular with a travel roller 8 of only one instrument, in which the steering range on the front side is preferably arranged in the middle of the width of the instrument part 3.

All disclosed features are fundamental to the invention. Accordingly, all corresponding / attached priority documents (copies of prior applications) are also included in the disclosure of this application, and the features of these documents are included in the claims of this application for that purpose. Is.

It can be used as a running roller for furniture or equipment with excellent maneuverability.

An appliance part in the form of a hand-held vacuum cleaner according to the invention is provided with an accessory provided with an appliance travel roller according to the invention. It is a bottom view of the accessory which has an instrument traveling roller by a 1st embodiment. FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of a portion III in FIG. 2. FIG. 4 corresponds to FIG. 3 but relates to the second embodiment. It is a bottom view of the accessory which has an instrument traveling roller by the 3rd embodiment. 6 is a cross section taken along line VI-VI in FIG. It is the enlarged view which made the section of VII of FIG. 5 partially the cross section. It is an overhead view of the cross section of the range of the traveling roller of the instrument, and relates to the movement of the traveling roller when the instrument is moved and steered toward the left side. FIG. 9 is a diagram corresponding to FIG. 8, but in a case where the vehicle is steered to the right. FIG. 6 is a bottom view corresponding to FIG. 5 but relates to a further embodiment of the implement travel roller according to the invention. FIG. 6 is a bottom view of yet another accessory having an alternative arrangement of the instrument travel rollers according to the embodiment of FIG.

Claims (14)

In a furniture or appliance travel roller (8) having a shaft (9) having an extension direction and a wheel (10) mounted for rotational movement on the shaft (9),
The wheel (10) on the shaft (9) is in the extension direction of the shaft (9), and the wheel (10) is on the shaft (9) by an amount corresponding to more than half of the width (b) of the wheel (10). (9) A traveling roller that is arranged to move in the extending direction.   2. A travel roller according to claim 1, characterized in that, in particular, the shaft (9) is curved in the extension direction.   3. The travel roller according to claim 1, wherein the shaft (9) is curved on an arc.   4. The travel roller according to claim 1, wherein the wheel (10) is pressed against a priority position on the shaft (9) by a spring.   The wheel (10) can be moved in the direction of extension of the shafts (9) on both sides from the priority position by at least half the width (b) of the wheel (10). The traveling roller described in any of the above   6. Traveling roller according to claim 1, characterized in that the wheel (10) is mounted directly on the shaft (9) at the hub part (15).   7. The running roller according to claim 1, wherein the curved shaft is extended over an angle range ([alpha]) of 20 [deg.] To 180 [deg.].   8. The running roller according to claim 1, wherein the free length of the shaft corresponds to at least twice the width (b) of the wheel (10).   9. Traveling roller according to claim 1, characterized in that, in particular, the free length of the shaft corresponds to up to 20 times the width (b) of the wheel (10). A traveling roller (8) comprising a wheel (10) attached to a shaft (9) for rotational movement, wherein the shaft (9) is in a furniture or appliance part (3) having an extension direction;
The wheel (10) on the shaft (9) is in the extension direction of the shaft (9), and the wheel (10) is on the shaft (9) by an amount corresponding to more than half of the width (b) of the wheel (10). A furniture or appliance part that is arranged to move in the extending direction of (9).   In particular, the furniture or appliance part (3) has first a support roller (7) in the direction of travel (r) and then a running roller (8) with wheels (10) moving on the shaft (9). A furniture or appliance part according to claim 10.   In particular, two support rollers (7) are provided axially separated from each other, and two travel rollers (8) having moving wheels (10) are separated from each other in the same way, and the support rollers (7) and travel 12. Furniture or appliance part according to claim 10 or 11, characterized in that the rollers (8) are separated in the direction of travel (r).   The furniture according to any one of claims 10 to 12, characterized in that, in particular, the wheel (10) moving on the shaft (9) can move on the shaft (9) curved in the extension direction of the shaft. Or instrument parts. 14. Furniture or appliance part according to any one of claims 10 to 13, characterized in that, in particular, the bending of the shaft (9) takes place in the direction opposite to the direction of travel (r).

Images