JP2008044473A - Caster - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a caster capable of suppressing impact received from a recession/projection part to a small degree even if it travels on a road surface, a floor surface or the like when the recession/projection part exists because the road surface, the floor surface or the like is formed to a slatted drain-board or a lattice shape and bricks, tiles or the like are laid with a predetermined clearance. <P>SOLUTION: The caster A includes a roller support body 1 having an endlessly continued outer peripheral surface 11 comprising a flat-like lower surface part 111 having a caster support shaft attachment part 12 and linearly extending in a caster advancement/retreating direction viewed from a side and a surface part 112 continued to it and formed to a forwardly/rearwardly projected curved shape; a roller 2 arranged on a periphery of a roller support body; and a connection member 3 for connecting the respective adjacent rollers. The roller connection member 3 has a portion 30 projected to an outer side than the roller 2 viewed from the caster support shaft attachment part 12, and the projection portion 30 has a flat-like outer surface 30a contacted with a caster traveling road surface F. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a caster (caster) that is used by being attached to an article in order to move the article with human power or a battery.

  Carrying bags, bags, cases, etc. for shopping, travel, etc., wheelbarrows carrying various equipment and other luggage, welfare items such as baby carriages, wheelchairs, electrical appliances such as refrigerators, home use and office use Furniture, organs, pianos and other musical instruments, office machines and other machines are often equipped with casters (for steering in wheelchairs, etc.) so that they can be easily moved by human power. Children's vehicles such as children's tricycles, children's toys, etc., are equipped with casters as wheels.

Such casters are smaller than automobiles, bicycle wheels, and the like, and typical examples are shown in FIGS. 5 and 6.
The caster shown in FIG. 5 is obtained by mounting an outer ring portion T1 made of an elastic material on a rim portion R1 of a caster base including a hub portion H1, a rim portion R1, and a spoke SP1 having both ends connected to the hub portion and the rim portion. .

  The caster shown in FIG. 6 is obtained by mounting an outer ring portion T2 made of an elastic material on a rim portion R2 of a caster base including a hub portion H2, a rim portion R2, and a spoke portion SP2 formed integrally therewith. is there.

  In addition to the above, as a wheel having shock absorption (cushioning property), a spoke is formed between the hub portion and the rim portion with a spring material so that the entire cushioning property is provided (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. Hei 8- No. 127201), a wheel having a cushioning property as a whole (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-29201), etc., having a spoke structure between the hub portion and the rim portion that is elastically deformable, is known. Yes.

JP-A-8-127201 Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-29201

  However, since the casters shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 have the spokes SP1 and the spoke portions SP2 extending radially from the hub portion to the rim portion, the casters are poor in cushioning as a whole, and the casters are on the road surface, floor surface. When rolling on the same surface, it is easy to receive an impact due to unevenness on the road surface, floor surface, etc., and the impact is easily transmitted to what is directly carried by the caster.

  In this regard, since the wheels disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 8-127201 have cushioning properties, when the wheels roll on the road surface, floor surface, etc., the impact caused by the unevenness on the road surface, floor surface, etc. is only that. It is easily absorbed and the impact is less likely to be transmitted to what is being carried by the wheel.

However, even if such conventional casters and wheels are casters having cushioning properties, since they are circular, the contact area with the road surface, floor surface, etc. is small, and the road surface, floor surface, etc. are uneven. In the case where there is an unevenness, even if the unevenness is small, it is inevitable to receive an impact when straddling the concave portion or overcoming the convex portion.
For example, even if it is flat as a whole, the road surface, floor surface, etc. are formed in the shape of a fence, or there are uneven parts because bricks or tiles are laid at a predetermined interval etc. , It is inevitable to receive an impact by the uneven part.

  Today, for example, various electronic devices, precision devices, and parts thereof that do not want to be contaminated by dust are manufactured, but such devices and parts are often manufactured in a so-called clean room, and the floor of a clean room is A handrail having a caster, which may be formed from a member such as a spider child or a lattice strip for exhausting from the room, and a device or part that dislikes vibration on a floor surface made of such a member such as a spider child When transported by a car, etc., the casters are circular, so they are transported while receiving an impact from the floor surface of a kite that has uneven parts, which gives undesired vibration to the equipment being transported. May end up.

  Therefore, in the present invention, when the road surface, the floor surface, etc. are formed in, for example, the shape of a fence, a lattice strip, etc., or because there are uneven portions because bricks, tiles, etc. are laid at a predetermined interval, etc. It is an object of the present invention to provide a caster that can suppress the impact received from the uneven portion even when traveling on the road surface, floor surface, or the like.

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides:
A roller support having a caster support shaft mounting portion;
A plurality of rollers sequentially arranged around the roller support at predetermined roller arrangement intervals;
A connecting member that connects each adjacent roller of the plurality of rollers so that each of the adjacent rollers can roll on the roller support while maintaining the roller arrangement interval;
When viewed from the side, the roller support has a flat bottom surface that extends straight in the forward and backward direction of the caster, and both ends are continuous with the flat lower surface, and is convexly curved forward and backward and upward in the forward and backward direction of the caster. And an endless continuous outer peripheral surface composed of a surface portion exhibiting
Each of the plurality of rollers is in rolling contact with the outer peripheral surface of the roller support,
Each of the connecting members for connecting the adjacent rollers has a portion protruding from the adjacent roller to which it is connected to the outside as viewed from the caster support shaft mounting portion of the roller support, The protruding portion has a flat outer surface that contacts the caster traveling road surface,
The connecting member provides a plurality of casters at positions corresponding to the flat lower surface portion of the outer peripheral surface of the roller support.

  The caster according to the present invention can be used by attaching a caster support shaft to a caster support shaft mounting portion of a roller support and attaching the caster support shaft to a caster attachment target body such as a handcart main body through the caster support shaft. Further, in such a state that the roller is mounted on the caster mounting target body, the roller at a position corresponding to the flat bottom surface portion that extends straight in the forward / backward direction of the caster when viewed from the side of the outer peripheral surface of the roller support. When the flat outer surface of the protruding portion of the connecting member is placed on a caster traveling road surface such as a road surface or a floor surface and the caster mounting target body is pushed or pulled, the protruding portion of the roller connecting member supports the roller. It can drive | work by rotating around a roller support body with the rolling along this roller support body outer peripheral surface of the roller arranged on the body outer peripheral surface.

  In the running of the caster, the flat outer surfaces of the protruding portions of the plurality of roller connecting members located at positions corresponding to the flat lower surface portion extending straight when viewed from the side surface of the roller support member are connected. Compared with conventional circular casters and wheels, the vehicle travels in the caster moving direction while being in contact with the caster traveling road surface such as the road surface and the floor surface.

  Therefore, for example, it is formed in the shape of a fence, lattices, etc., or even if it is run on a road surface, floor surface, etc. with uneven parts because it is laid with bricks, tiles etc. at a predetermined interval, The caster runs smoothly on the road surface, floor surface, etc. in a state where the impact received from the uneven portion is suppressed to a small extent by contacting the convex portions before and after the concave portion or contacting adjacent convex portions. it can.

  The flat lower surface portion of the outer peripheral surface of the roller support may be a flat lower surface that extends straight when viewed from the side of the roller support, or may be a flat lower portion that curves downward. Depending on the size of the roller support, etc., for example, it may be a flat lower surface portion having a curvature radius of about 10 cm or more and slightly convexly curved downward. The “flat bottom surface portion on the outer peripheral surface of the roller support” includes such a surface portion.

  Even when the flat lower surface portion of the outer peripheral surface of the roller support is a flat surface portion that is convexly curved downward, the roller connection corresponding to the flat lower surface portion from the center of the roller support shaft mounting portion. Compared with casters and wheels having a circular outer contour whose radius is the shortest distance to the flat outer surface of the protruding portion of the member, the impact received from the uneven portions on the road surface, floor surface, etc. is suppressed to a small level. Further, if the flat lower surface portion of the outer peripheral surface of the roller support is a flat surface portion that is convexly curved downward as described above, it is easy to change the moving direction of the casters. In other words, when the flat lower surface portion of the outer peripheral surface of the roller support is formed as a flat surface portion curved downward, the radius of curvature should be such that the moving direction of the caster can be changed (doesn't change). I can say that.

  The flat outer surface that contacts the caster traveling road surface of the protruding portion of the connecting member of the roller may not be a flat outer surface, and may be, for example, a flat outer surface slightly curved outward. The “flat outer surface that contacts the caster traveling road surface of the protruding portion of the connecting member” includes not only the flat outer surface but also the outer surface that is slightly curved but flat as described above.

  Various types of rollers can be adopted as the roller. For example, a pair of rollers arranged at intervals in the caster width direction, and a roller shaft having a smaller outer diameter than the rollers, which connects the pair of rollers. And the pair of rollers in contact with the outer peripheral surface of the roller support so as to allow rolling.

  When such a roller is used, the outer peripheral surface of the roller support is a convexity that a roller recess formed by the pair of rollers and the roller shaft is fitted so that the rolling of the rollers is allowed. It can have a strip. Such a protrusion can suppress the positional deviation of the roller on the outer peripheral surface of the roller support and the falling off of the roller from the outer peripheral surface of the roller support, thereby allowing the roller to roll stably.

  Each of the plurality of connecting members can take various forms. For example, when a roller including a pair of rollers as described above and a protruding portion on the outer peripheral surface of a roller support are employed, A pair of roller shaft support portions that are positioned, and a roller shaft support protrusion portion that protrudes from the pair of roller shaft support portions in the extending direction of the protrusion on the outer peripheral surface of the roller support and is positioned above the protrusion. Can be mentioned.

  In this case, the plurality of connecting members may be sequentially arranged so that the roller shaft supporting protrusions of one connecting member are located between the pair of roller shaft supporting portions of the other connecting member in each adjacent connecting member, The roller shaft of the roller can pass through the pair of roller shaft support portions and the roller shaft support protrusions disposed between the pair of roller shaft support portions, and the rollers can be held at both ends of the roller shaft.

  In any case, at least a part of the flat outer surface of the connecting member that contacts the caster traveling road surface of the protruding portion that protrudes to the outside of the roller when viewed from the caster support shaft mounting portion of the roller support is a cushioning material. May be formed. Examples of the buffer material include elastic materials such as rubber.

  The roller support of the caster according to the present invention may include a buffer portion between the caster support shaft mounting portion and at least the flat lower surface portion of the roller support outer peripheral surface.

  As such a buffer support portion of the roller support, for example, a portion of the roller support between the caster support shaft mounting portion and the flat lower surface portion of the outer peripheral surface of the roller support is formed of an elastic material having a cushioning property. And it is good also as a buffer part. Moreover, the flexibility formed by forming the space which penetrates a roller support body width direction at least between the said flat lower surface part and a caster support shaft mounting part among the outer peripheral surfaces of a roller support body is shown. An example including a thin portion along the outer periphery of the roller support can also be exemplified.

In the case of adopting such a thin part as the buffer part of the roller support, the buffer part further includes at least one of the caster support shaft mounting part and the thin part in a space penetrating in the width direction of the roller support. The shock absorbing member loaded between the parts may be included.
In addition to the spring, such a buffer member may be an elastic material, for example, a material made of a relatively soft (low resilience) elastic material. As described above, when at least a part of the flat outer surface that contacts the caster traveling road surface of the protruding portion of the connecting member of the roller is formed of a cushioning material, the elastic material is softer (less repulsive) than the cushioning material. The thing which consists of etc. may be sufficient.

  As described above, according to the present invention, the road surface, floor surface, etc. are uneven because of, for example, the shape of a fence, a lattice strip, etc., or bricks, tiles, etc. laid at a predetermined interval. When there is a portion, a caster that can suppress the impact received from the uneven portion even when traveling on the road surface, floor surface or the like can be provided.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below. The caster A described below can be used by being attached to the article in order to move the article with human power or a battery. Such articles include, for example, bags for shopping, travel, etc., portable storage equipment such as bags, cases, wheelbarrows carrying various equipment and other luggage, welfare items such as baby carriages, wheelchairs, etc., electrical appliances such as refrigerators, Home and office furniture, organs, musical instruments such as pianos, office machines and other machines can be mentioned, and they can be attached to them and used to move them manually.

  It can also be used as a wheel in children's vehicles such as children's tricycles, children's automobile toys, etc.

  The caster according to the present invention is suitable for use as a simple small caster in terms of structure and strength as compared with wheels of automobiles and bicycles, and is not limited thereto. For example, the maximum outer diameter is 70 mm. It is suitable for use as a small caster having a size of about 200 mm.

FIG. 1 is a side view of an example A of casters according to the present invention.
A caster A shown in FIG. 1 includes a roller support 1, a plurality of rollers 2 that are sequentially arranged around the roller support 1, and a connecting member 3 that connects adjacent rollers.

  When viewed from the side of the roller support, the outer peripheral surface 11 of the roller support 1 is connected to the flat bottom surface 111 and the surface 111 that extend straight, and the front and rear and the top in the caster forward and backward direction α (see FIG. 1). It is a continuous endless surface comprising a surface portion 112 extending in a convex curve. The flat lower surface portion 111 is formed so as to be slightly curved downward so that it looks flat at first glance.

The roller support 1 includes a caster support shaft mounting portion 12 having a through hole 121 into which a caster support shaft (not shown) is inserted at a position slightly lower than the central portion.
The roller support will be further described later.

The plurality of rollers 2 are sequentially arranged around the roller support 1 at a predetermined roller interval so that the adjacent rollers do not rub against each other so that a slight gap is maintained between the adjacent rollers. ing. The adjacent rollers 2 are connected to each other by a connecting member 3, and the connecting member 3 connects the adjacent rollers 2 to which the adjacent rollers 2 are connected to each other on the roller support 1 while maintaining the interval between the rollers. Are connected so that they can roll.
Each roller 2 is in contact with the outer peripheral surface of the roller support 1 so that it can roll.

FIG. 2 is a view showing the caster A in a plan view and a part of a portion that can be seen from the plane. FIG. 3 is a schematic sectional view taken along line XX of FIG. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the roller connecting member 3.
As can be seen from FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, each roller 2 has a pair of rollers 21 arranged at intervals in the caster width direction and a pair of rollers 21, and has a smaller outer diameter than the rollers. The roller shaft 22 is included.

  On the outer peripheral surface 11 of the roller support 1, a ridge 113 is formed along the center. The pair of rollers 21 are in contact with the outer peripheral surface 11 of the roller support so as to roll on both outer sides of the ridge 113. As shown in FIG. 3, the protrusion 113 on the outer peripheral surface of the roller support is fitted in a roller recess formed by a pair of rollers 21 and a roller shaft 22, so that the rollers 21 are allowed to roll. It has become.

  The connecting member 3 that connects each adjacent roller has a protruding portion 30 that protrudes outward as viewed from the caster support shaft mounting portion 12 of the roller support 1 than the adjacent roller 2 to which it is connected. The protruding portion 30 has a flat outer surface 30a that contacts the caster traveling road surface F. The flat outer surface 30a is formed of a cushioning material 30 'made of an elastic material (in this example, a rubber material).

  More specifically, the connecting member 3 includes a pair of roller shaft support portions 31 positioned above the protruding strips 113 on the roller support outer peripheral surface 11 and inside the pair of rollers 21, and the pair of roller shaft support portions 31. It includes a roller shaft support protrusion 32 that protrudes in the extending direction of the protrusion 113 on the outer peripheral surface of the roller support and is positioned above the protrusion. Further, as shown in FIG. 4, each roller shaft support portion 31 has a through hole 31 h of the roller shaft 22, and the roller shaft support protrusion 32 also has a through hole 32 h of the roller shaft 22.

As shown in FIG. 2, the plurality of connecting members 3 as a whole of the caster A includes a pair of roller shaft support portions of the other connecting member 3 in which the roller shaft supporting protrusions 32 of one of the connecting members 3 are adjacent to each other of the connecting members 3. The roller shaft 22 of the roller 2 passes through a pair of roller shaft support portions 31 and a roller shaft support protrusion 32 disposed therebetween, and both ends of the roller shaft are arranged. The roller 21 is held.
The roller shaft support portion 31 and the roller shaft support protrusion portion 32 are integrally connected by the connecting member protrusion portion 30 and the like.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the roller shaft 22 has conical recesses 221 on both end faces, and the roller shaft 22 is formed on a pair of roller shaft support portions 31 of the connecting member 3 and a roller shaft support protrusion portion 32 therebetween. After the roller 21 is inserted into both ends of the roller shaft, the outer peripheral edge of the conical recess 221 at both ends of the roller shaft 22 is spread and caulked in the roller radial direction to prevent the roller 21 from coming off.

  There are a plurality of connecting members 3 at positions corresponding to the flat lower surface portion 111 of the roller support outer peripheral surface 11.

  The roller support 1 will be further described. As shown in FIG. 1, the roller support 1 includes a thin portion 10 having flexibility. The thin-walled portion 10 functions as a buffer portion that relieves an impact that may be received when the caster A travels on the caster traveling road surface F. The thin-walled portion 10 is connected to the flat lower surface portion 111 of the outer peripheral surface 11 of the roller support 1 and the lower surface portion 111 between the rising surface portion 112 ′ (a part of the surface portion 112) and the caster support shaft mounting portion 12. It is provided by forming a space 4 penetrating in the width direction of the roller support.

  A buffer member may be loaded in at least a part of the space 4 penetrating in the width direction of the roller support. For example, as shown by a chain line in FIG. 1, the buffer member 5 is loaded between the caster support shaft mounting portion 12 and the portion corresponding to the flat lower surface portion 111 of the roller support outer peripheral surface 11 in the thin portion 10. Also good.

  Such a buffer member 5 is preferably a relatively soft (low rebound) buffer member so that the caster A does not jump undesirably during traveling. For example, it is preferable that the cushioning member be softer (lower in resilience) than the cushioning material 30 ′ constituting the flat outer surface 30 a that contacts the caster traveling road surface F of the roller connecting member 3 described above.

The operation of the caster A described above will be described.
The caster A mounts a caster support shaft (not shown) on the caster support shaft mounting portion 12 of the roller support body 1, and a caster mounting target body (for example, caster mounting in the illustrated example) such as a handcart main body through the caster support shaft. It can be used by attaching to the target member 6). Further, the flat outer surface 30a of the protruding portion 30 of the roller connecting member 3 positioned corresponding to the flat lower surface portion 111 of the outer peripheral surface 11 of the roller support 1 in such a state attached to the caster attachment target body. Is placed on a caster traveling road surface F such as a road surface or a floor surface, and the caster mounting object is pushed, pulled or moved, the protruding portion 30 of the roller connecting member 3 is arranged on the outer peripheral surface 11 of the roller support. The roller 2 can travel by rotating around the roller support 1 with rolling along the outer peripheral surface of the roller support.

  In such traveling of the caster A, the protruding portions 30 of the plurality of roller connecting members 3 located at positions corresponding to the flat lower surface portion 111 extending straight when viewed from the roller support side surface of the roller support outer peripheral surface 11. The flat outer surface 30a is connected in a flat shape and travels while being in contact with the caster traveling road surface F such as the road surface and the floor surface longer in the caster moving direction than the conventional circular casters and wheels.

  Therefore, for example, it is formed in the shape of a fence, lattices, etc., or even if it is run on a road surface, floor surface, etc. with uneven parts because it is laid with bricks, tiles etc. at a predetermined interval, The caster A touches the convex portions before and after the concave portion, or contacts adjacent convex portions, so that the impact received from the concave and convex portions is reduced to a small extent, and the caster A can smoothly travel on the road surface, floor surface, etc. Can run.

  In the caster A, the roller support 1 is formed with a buffer portion made of the flexible thin portion 10 (or further the buffer member 5), thereby further reducing the impact caused by the uneven portions such as the road surface. There is an advantage that can be. In addition, when employ | adopting the buffer member 5, you may make it fill the space 4 entirely by this.

  The present invention is a caster that is used by being attached to an article or the like that is moved by human power, etc., and is formed, for example, in the shape of a cocoon or lattice, or laid with bricks, tiles, etc. at predetermined intervals. It can be used to provide a caster that can suppress the impact received from the unevenness even when traveling on a road surface, floor surface, or the like having unevenness.

It is a side view of one example of the caster concerning the present invention. It is a figure which expands and shows a part of part which sees the caster shown in FIG. 1 from a plane, and can be seen from a plane. It is a schematic sectional drawing which follows the XX line of FIG. It is a perspective view of a connection member. It is a figure which shows one example of the conventional caster. It is a figure which shows the other example of the conventional caster.

Explanation of symbols

A caster 1 roller support 11 outer peripheral surface 111 of roller support lower surface portion 112 of outer peripheral surface of roller support convex curved surface portion 112 'of convex surface of roller support 113 portion 113 rising from lower surface portion 111 of convex curved surface portion 112 convex Shaped part 12 Caster support shaft mounting part 121 Through hole 10 Thin part 2 Roller 21 Roller 22 Roller shaft 221 Conical recess 3 of roller shaft end face Connecting member 30 Projecting part 30a of connecting member Flat outer surface 30 'of projecting part 30 Cushioning material 31 forming roller-shaped outer surface 30a Roller shaft support part 31h Roller shaft through hole 32 of roller shaft support part Roller shaft support projecting part 32h Roller shaft through hole α of roller shaft support projecting part F Road surface

Claims (8)

A roller support having a caster support shaft mounting portion;
A plurality of rollers sequentially arranged around the roller support at predetermined roller arrangement intervals;
A connecting member that connects each adjacent roller of the plurality of rollers so that each of the adjacent rollers can roll on the roller support while maintaining the roller arrangement interval;
When viewed from the side, the roller support has a flat bottom surface that extends straight in the forward and backward direction of the caster, and both ends are continuous with the flat lower surface, and is convexly curved forward and backward and upward in the forward and backward direction of the caster. And an endless continuous outer peripheral surface composed of a surface portion exhibiting
Each of the plurality of rollers is in rolling contact with the outer peripheral surface of the roller support,
Each of the connecting members for connecting the adjacent rollers has a portion protruding from the adjacent roller to which it is connected to the outside as viewed from the caster support shaft mounting portion of the roller support, The protruding portion has a flat outer surface that contacts the caster traveling road surface,
The caster according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of the connecting members are provided at positions corresponding to the flat lower surface portion of the outer peripheral surface of the roller support.   The caster according to claim 1, wherein the flat lower surface portion of the outer peripheral surface of the roller support body is a flat lower surface portion that is convexly curved downward.   Each of the rollers includes a pair of rollers arranged at intervals in the caster width direction, and a roller shaft that connects the pair of rollers and has a smaller outer diameter than the rollers. A roller recess formed by the pair of rollers and the roller shaft is allowed to roll on the outer peripheral surface of the roller support body. The caster according to claim 1, wherein the caster has a protruding portion that fits externally.   Each of the plurality of connecting members protrudes in the extending direction of the ridges on the outer peripheral surface of the roller support from the pair of roller shaft support portions located inside the pair of rollers. And a roller shaft support protrusion positioned above the ridge, and the plurality of connecting members are arranged such that the roller shaft support protrusion of one connection member is the other connection member in each adjacent connection member. The roller shaft is located between the pair of roller shaft support portions, and the roller shaft passes through the pair of roller shaft support portions and the roller shaft support protrusions disposed between the pair of roller shaft support portions. The caster according to claim 3, comprising:   At least a part of the flat outer surface of the connecting member that contacts the caster traveling road surface of the protruding portion that protrudes to the outside of the roller when viewed from the caster support shaft mounting portion of the roller support is formed of a cushioning material. The caster according to any one of claims 1 to 4.   The said roller support body is equipped with the buffer part between the said caster support shaft mounting part and at least the said flat lower surface part among the outer peripheral surfaces on which the said roller rolls. Casters.   The buffer portion of the roller support member forms a space penetrating in the roller support width direction at least between the flat lower surface portion and the caster support shaft mounting portion of the outer peripheral surface of the roller support member. The caster according to claim 6, wherein the caster includes a thin portion formed along the outer periphery of the roller support, which is formed and exhibits flexibility.   The buffer part of the roller support further includes a buffer member loaded between the caster support shaft mounting part and at least a part of the thin part in a space penetrating in the width direction of the roller support. The caster according to claim 7.