JP2008094279A - Caster and buffing axle support mechanism - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a caster and buffing axle support mechanism which are not bulky and can alleviate vibration and secure smooth traveling even at the time of traveling on rough portions of a road etc. and riding over a step part. <P>SOLUTION: The caster 100 is provided with a wheel 50, a main frame 10, axle support arms 30 journaled to the main frame 10 and supporting an axle 40 of the wheel 50, and a wire 60 hung between the main frame 10 and the axle support arms 30. Due to bending of the wire 60, an impact transmitted from the axle 40 to the main frame 10 is alleviated. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a shock absorber used for transporting equipment such as a carriage, a trolley, a wheelchair, a stroller and other transport vehicles (vehicles), and a caster and a vehicle including the cushioning mechanism.

  In recent years, casters with various buffering functions have been proposed in which a detachable caster transports the road surface with unevenness. As an advantage of these shock absorbers, in addition to the effect of softening the impact received from the road surface, there is an appropriate sinking in advance in the transported object, so that the wheel follows the unevenness (especially concave portion) of the road surface, excellent vibration isolation effect, It is known that a silent effect can be obtained.

  In the buffer mechanism described in Patent Document 1, a spring receiver is provided on the side opposite to the axle of the swing arm (37) pivotally attached to the bracket (17) as shown in FIG. 14, and is raised from the bracket (17). The other end spring receiver (144) is provided at the tip of the bolt (102), and an elastic material (146), which is an elastic body, is provided therebetween to soften the impact. However, this complicated structure not only increases the overall weight, but also the so-called unsprung weight is heavy, making it difficult to handle small impacts.

  In the buffer mechanism described in Patent Document 2, although the coil spring (169) is arranged so that its expansion and contraction direction is substantially horizontal as shown in FIG. 15, it is arranged at the upper part of the wheel (59). Moreover, it is bulky compared to conventional casters. For this reason, if it replaces with the conventional caster attached to the trolley | bogie, the height of a trolley | bogie will become high and a problem may arise.

JP 11-91303 A JP 2005-88846 A

  In particular, what is common to Patent Documents 1 and 2 is that the elastic body expands and contracts along the rotational symmetry axis of the elastic body due to the structure of the elastic body. Due to the structure and operation of the elastic body, the arrangement of the elastic body is limited. That is, it is necessary to provide the elastic body receivers on both sides of the rotational symmetry axis of the elastic body so as to be orthogonal to the rotational symmetry axis. As a result, the number of parts increases, and the total weight is heavy and expensive.

  The first object of the present invention is to solve the inconveniences and problems of the prior art described above, which gives flexibility to the arrangement of the elastic body, is easy to install, is light and not bulky, and is capable of handling fine vibrations. It is an object of the present invention to provide a caster and a buffer axle support mechanism that can be used. A second object of the present invention is to provide a novel caster and shock absorber supporting mechanism applicable to various vehicles, and a vehicle equipped with the same. A third object of the present invention is to provide a caster and a buffer axle support mechanism having a novel structure capable of easily adjusting the buffer performance according to various applications.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, a fixed base (70) fixed to the moving body;
A main frame (10) supported by a fixed base;
An axle support arm (30) swingably mounted on the main frame;
Wheels (50) pivotally supported on axle support arms;
A caster (100) is provided that includes a rod-like elastic body (60) spanned between a main frame or a fixed base (70) and an axle support arm.

  According to the caster (100) of the present invention, the rod-like elastic body (60) is stretched between the axle support arm (30) and the main frame (10), and the rod-like elastic body bends in a curve, so that it is removed from the axle. The impact transmitted to the car body can be reduced. In particular, in the present invention, unlike a coil spring conventionally used in a caster, a rod-like elastic body such as a wire is used. Therefore, the flexibility of the attachment position of the elastic body with respect to the main frame and the axle support arm is high. By appropriately selecting the mounting position, it is possible to freely set the deformation direction of the elastic body, thereby making effective use of the dead space of the vehicle to which the caster is mounted and the space occupied by the conventional coil spring. Can be reduced.

  Generally, casters include a free caster having a vertical swivel axis and a fixed caster that does not turn so that the wheels are always directed in the traveling direction, but the caster of the present invention is a concept including both casters.

  According to the second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a shock absorber support mechanism attached to a moving body having a main frame (1, 10) and wheels (5, 50). An axle support arm (3, 30) mounted movably and supporting the axle (4, 40) of the wheel (5, 50); hung between the main frame or the movable body and the axle support arm A shock-absorbing axle support mechanism is provided that includes a passed rod-like elastic body (6, 60).

  According to the shock-absorbing axle support mechanism of the present invention, the rod-like elastic body is stretched between the axle-supporting arm (3, 30) and the main frame (1, 10) or the moving body, and the rod-like elastic body (6, 60). By bending and bending, the impact transmitted from the axle to the main frame or object can be reduced. In particular, in the present invention, since a rod-like elastic body such as a wire that has not been used in a buffer axle support mechanism conventionally used for casters or the like is used, the degree of freedom of the mounting position of the elastic body with respect to the main frame and the axle support arm is increased. high. By appropriately selecting the mounting position, the deformation direction of the elastic body can be set freely, thereby making effective use of the dead space of the object on which the shock absorber support mechanism is mounted and occupying the conventional coil spring. The space that has been saved can be reduced.

  In the shock-absorbing axle support mechanism of the present invention, the rod-like elastic body can be curved in a plane substantially perpendicular to the axle. For example, by providing a rod-shaped elastic body along the outer periphery of the wheel and bending it in the plane, the elastic body is hidden behind the wheel during traveling, so the possibility of the elastic body hitting an obstacle can be eliminated. . Alternatively, when turning the wheel, if the rod-like elastic body (65) is provided in parallel with the wheel (55) and bent in the plane, the rod-like elastic body can be accommodated in the turning region of the conventional wheel. Thus, the present buffer mechanism can be introduced into a conventional vehicle without requiring a design change around the wheel. In particular, in the case of a dual-wheel structure in which wheels (53) are pivotally attached to axles (43) provided on the left and right sides from the end of one axle support arm, a main frame that supports the axle support arm (33) ( 13) and the axle support arm (33) are connected by an elastic body so that the shock-absorbing axle support mechanism can be accommodated between the two wheels, so that the buffering action can be realized with a simple structure in a small space.

  In the shock absorber support mechanism of the present invention, the axle support arm (30) may have a pair of axle support arms, and both ends of the rod-like elastic body (60) may be coupled to the pair of axle support arms. For example, the rod-like elastic body can be elastically deformed into a substantially U shape, and both ends thereof are connected to the axle support arms, and the intermediate point can be connected to the main frame (10b). Thereby, it is possible to perform stable running with a simple structure while realizing a buffering action (U-shaped suspension).

  In the shock absorber support mechanism of the present invention, one end of the rod-like elastic body (61, 62) can be swingably or slidably connected to one of the main frame (11) and the axle support arm (32). By allowing one end of the rod-like elastic body (62) to swing, compared to when one end of the rod-like elastic body is simply fixed to the main frame (12) (or object) and / or the axle support arm (32), The stress applied to the rod-shaped elastic body (62) can be made uniform, and in particular, the stress or strain applied to one end of the rod-shaped elastic body can be alleviated to extend the life of the rod-shaped elastic body. Furthermore, by providing a limit in the swing region, it is possible to have a bipolar buffering characteristic when swinging and fixing according to the displacement of the axle support arm.

  Further, by making one end of the rod-like elastic body (61) slidable, it is possible to provide a “play area” (10d) that is not subjected to stress from the rod-like elastic body. Furthermore, when used together with a rod-like elastic body (60) that applies a stress corresponding to the displacement to this play area, it has a two-stage buffering characteristic when sliding and fixing according to the displacement of the axle support arm (31). I can do it.

  In the shock absorber support mechanism of the present invention, the rod-like elastic body may be composed of first and second elastic bodies (63, 64). In this way, by configuring the rod-shaped elastic body from a plurality of elastic bodies, the elastic characteristics can be easily adjusted by combining them. In this case, by making the elastic characteristics of the first and second elastic bodies different so as to cancel each natural vibration, resonance with the road surface vibration during conveyance can be prevented. Further, by making these elastic bodies detachable from the main frame (13) and the axle support arm (33), the user can select a plurality of elastic characteristics according to the purpose and application.

  In the shock absorber support mechanism of the present invention, the first and second elastic bodies can be configured to contact each other when the rod-like elastic body (600) is bent. In this case, when the rod-like elastic bodies are bent, they come into contact with each other, and the kinetic energy is converted into thermal energy by the friction, so that the impact is absorbed.

  In the caster or the shock absorber support mechanism of the present invention, the rod-like elastic body is a wire rope, so that it has an excellent shock absorbing effect due to the friction between the wires when the wire rope is bent. Further, since the wire rope is easily available and inexpensive, the structure of the shock absorber support mechanism is simplified, and the manufacturing cost can be reduced. The “wire rope” as the rod-like elastic body means a rope made of a plurality of wires and can be made of various materials. The wire may be formed from, for example, a metal wire such as a steel wire, a plastic wire, or the like. The outer circumference of the wire rope may be coated with plastic or rubber. In the present invention, the rod-like elastic body includes any elastic body such as a wire rope, a piano wire, and a leaf spring as long as it is rod-shaped. However, the coil spring is not included. In terms of the direction of elastic deformation, since the leaf spring is mainly deformed only in the direction perpendicular to the surface, a linear elastic body that can be deformed in a three-dimensional direction, such as a wire rope, is preferable.

  The buffer axle support mechanism of the present invention may further include a mechanism for adjusting the elastic force of the rod-like elastic bodies (63, 64). With this mechanism, the elastic force against the load can be freely adjusted. This mechanism can be an engagement mechanism that allows adjustment of the position at which the rod-like elastic body is attached to the axle support arm, the main frame, or the object, and includes, for example, a rack (87) and pinion gear, or a ball screw and screw. Can do.

  According to this invention, each vehicle provided with the buffer axle support mechanism of this invention is provided. The vehicle is a concept including a transport vehicle, a passenger vehicle, a work vehicle, and a walking assist vehicle. Furthermore, the “conveying vehicle” means a vehicle for conveying a person or an object such as a carriage, a towing vehicle, a stroller, a wheelchair, a stretcher, a golf cart, and the like. The term “passenger vehicle” means a vehicle that is operated by riding a roller skate, a kick board (300), a wheelchair, a two-wheeled vehicle, a four-wheeled vehicle, or the like. The work vehicle means a vehicle that travels while working, such as a lawn mower, and the walking assist vehicle means a vehicle that assists human walking, such as a baby carriage and a walker. However, due to its own weight, etc., it is not easy to apply a railway vehicle, a four-wheeled vehicle having an internal combustion engine, and a two-wheeled vehicle. In particular, a four-wheeled vehicle having a railway vehicle and an internal combustion engine requires a further suspension mechanism.

  The present invention is a thin linear body in which the rod-like elastic body itself is not bulky by using the rod-like elastic body for the axle support mechanism, and the deformation direction of the rod-like elastic body can be freely set by the connection method. The connection method of the elastic body is simple and rich in options such as fixing, pivoting, and sliding, increasing the degree of freedom in designing the shock absorbing characteristics. After that, the relative position and displacement direction of the main frame and wheels are defined by the swing shaft, the optimum position in the vicinity of the axle and the moving body is selected, and a rod-shaped elastic body is connected between the two. A lightweight, space-saving cushioning mechanism is realized with a limited configuration. Because it is rod-shaped and the installation mechanism is simple, it can be used in parallel with rod-shaped elastic bodies, and the combined interaction brings new effects such as shock absorption effects. Enable. By adding a buffer mechanism to the shape and performance close to popular products that do not have a buffer function due to the degree of freedom in design, the buffer axle support mechanism of the present invention is widely penetrated to reduce noise during movement, It is possible to realize the effective utilization of resources due to the reduction of the defect rate and the difficulty of breaking the moving body itself.

  First, the principle of the caster and axle support mechanism of the present invention will be conceptually described. As conceptually shown in FIG. 1, the axle support mechanism 9 of the present invention is mainly supported by the main frame 1 of the moving body 8 so as to be swingable, and supports the wheels 5 so as to be rotatable via the axle 4. Wire rope (rod-like elastic body) that is spanned between the axle support arm 3, a part of the moving body 8 or the main frame 1 (some accessories connected to the main frame 1), and the axle support arm 3. 6.

  When the load of the moving body 8 is applied to the main frame 1, the axle support arm 3 rotates counterclockwise about the swing shaft 2, the wire rope 6 is bent, and the load balances the bending stress. Keep balance. When the moving body travels and the wheel 5 rides on the road surface step portion, the wheel 5 approaches the main frame 1 and gets over the step portion to reduce the displacement of the moving body. Due to the reaction of this action, the moving body vibrates finely up and down, but the kinetic energy is changed to heat energy by friction between the wires constituting the wire rope 6, and the vibration is attenuated to quiet the moving body. Keep on.

[First embodiment]
An example of a free caster equipped with the shock absorber support mechanism of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. The universal caster 100 includes a main frame 10 and a top plate 70 that is rotatably mounted on the main frame 10. The main frame 10 supports a pair of axle support arms 30, and the pair of axle support arms 30 supports the axle 40. And a wire rope 60 that spans the pair of axle support arms 30 and the main frame 10.

  The main frame 10 has an inverted L-shaped side surface shape so as to accommodate a part of the wheel 50, and is a rock that rotatably supports the vicinity of one end of the axle support arm 30 in the vicinity of the lower end 10c of the main frame 10. A moving shaft 20 is provided. A top plate 70 is rotatably attached to the upper surface 10a of the main frame 10 with respect to the main frame 10 through a rotation mechanism (not shown). The top plate 70 functions as a fixed base for fixing to a moving body (not shown) (for example, a pedestal of a carriage: not shown) (or the moving body to the top plate). A through hole 10 b through which the wire rope 60 is inserted is formed at the wheel side tip of the upper surface 10 a of the main frame 1. The wire rope 60 is inserted into the through hole 10 b and both ends 60 a and 60 b are connected to the other end of the axle support arm 30. That is, the wire rope 60 is elastically deformed into an inverted U shape by supporting the central portion thereof in the through hole 10b and the opposite ends 60a and 60b thereof in the axle support arm 30, respectively. And is supported between.

  In this embodiment (general handcart application), the wire rope 60 is configured to bundle steel fine wires having a diameter of 0.1 to 2 mm (about 0.5 mm in this example), and the diameter is 3 to 15 mm (this example). Is about 6 mm). As described above, the wire rope 60 functions as an elastic body that generates a repulsive force against the load applied to the top plate 70 by being inserted into the through hole 10b and supported by the axle support arm 30 in a curved state. That is, when a load is loaded on the moving body to which the top plate 70 is attached, the wire rope 60 is elastically deformed by the load, and the axle support arm 30 swings around the swing shaft 20 according to the deformation. Further, when the caster 100 tries to get over the step portion while traveling, the wheel 50 moves upward along the position of the step portion in the height direction through swinging about the swing shaft 20 of the axle support arm 30. To do. At this time, since the central portion of the wire rope 60 is supported by the main frame 10 through the through hole 10b so as to be elastically deformable, the wire rope 60 is elastically deformed to absorb an impact from the stepped portion and thereby the main frame 10. The shock transmitted to is reduced.

  What should be noted in the universal caster 100 of this embodiment is that a single wire rope 60 serves to cushion the wheel 50 against the main frame 10. In particular, since the wire rope 60 is a thin wire, it does not require a relatively large accommodation volume unlike a conventional coil spring, and realizes a low-cost and small-sized caster. Further, in the caster of this embodiment, unlike a conventional caster using a coil spring, it is not necessary to dispose a spring seat on the end of the spring (particularly in a direction perpendicular to the extension / contraction axis of the spring). Therefore, a caster having the same height (bulkyness) as a conventional caster can be realized, and a caster that can be applied to various uses can be designed with a high degree of freedom in design of buffer characteristics. Even if a universal caster attached to a conventional carriage is replaced with the universal caster of the present invention, the height, the eccentric distance, and the turning region can be set in the same manner, so that there is no problem in operation.

  In this embodiment, one wire rope 60 is mounted between the main frame 10 and the axle support arm 30 while being elastically deformed through the through hole 10b of the main frame 10, but not limited thereto, two wires are used. Using the rope 60, one end thereof may be connected to a position corresponding to the through hole 10 b of the main frame 10, and the other end thereof may be supported by the pair of axle support arms 30. In this example, a free caster is illustrated, but a fixed caster in which the top plate 70 is fixed to the main frame 10 may be used. In this case, one end of the wire rope 60 may be connected to the top plate 70 or an accessory of the main frame 10 instead of the main frame 10. In this embodiment, an example of a caster is shown. However, the axle support mechanism of the present invention is embodied by the axle support arm 30 and the wire rope 60.

[Second Embodiment]
A modification of the universal caster of the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. This universal caster 110 is different from the first embodiment in that it uses two first and second wire ropes (rod-like elastic bodies) 60 and 61. The first wire rope 60 is inserted into the through hole 11b as in the first embodiment. The second wire rope 61 passes through the long hole 11d having a longer vertical diameter than the through hole 11b. Stopper rings 77 having a diameter larger than that of the long hole 11d are fixed to both sides of the portion of the second wire rope 61 passing through the long hole 11d. The stopper ring 77 constrains the central portion (vertical U-shaped apex portion) of the first wire rope 61 in the vicinity of the long hole 11d, and the first wire rope 61 extends in the longitudinal direction of the first wire rope 60 with respect to the long hole 11d. It is possible to prevent a large deformation due to the movement. The lengths of the first and second wire ropes 61 and 61 are set so that the second wire rope 61 does not contact the upper end of the inner wall of the long hole 11d when no load is applied to the casters.

  When a normal load is applied to the top plate 71 (fixed base) of the universal caster 110, that is, the main frame 11, first, only the first wire rope 60 is bent, and there is an appropriate sinking. Drive quietly while following road surface irregularities and absorbing road surface vibrations. When a large impact is transmitted from the wheel, the apex of the second wire rope 61 comes into contact with the upper part of the inner wall of the long hole 11d and the second wire rope 61 is also bent, and both the first wire rope 60 and the second wire rope 61 are bent. Absorbs shock.

  When the caster 110 having such a structure is mounted on a carriage and the baggage is transported outdoors, only the first wire rope 60 absorbs the vibration received from the road surface during transportation due to the unevenness of the asphalt road surface, and the second wire rope 61 The apex part only slides in the 11d long hole, and does not participate in buffering. When this carriage reaches the low curb at the entrance of the sidewalk and the impact due to the step is transmitted to the wheels, the axle support arm 31 rotates greatly, and the apex of the second wire rope 61 contacts the upper part of the inner wall of the long hole 11d. The second wire rope 61 is also bent, and the impact is absorbed within the swing range of the axle support arm 31 by the action of both wire ropes. After the carriage rides on the sidewalk, for example, it is possible to continue traveling quietly while absorbing the vibration that only the first wire rope 60 receives from the tile again on the tiled sidewalk (double wire buffer system).

[Third Embodiment]
A modification of the universal caster of the third embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. The caster unit 120 realizes the first and second wire ropes in the second embodiment with a single wire rope 62. Each axle support arm 32 of the caster unit 120 is provided with an axle support arm connection piece 32 c, and wire connection pieces 62 a are also provided at both ends of the wire rope 62. The wire connecting piece 62a is connected to the axle support arm connecting piece 32a via an elastic body rotating shaft 82 so as to be rotatable in a plane formed by the curved wire rope 62. Further, an elastic body rotation stopper 83 is provided on a side portion of the axle support arm coupling piece 32 a of the axle support arm 32. The elastic body rotation stopper 83 has a telescopic structure and can freely change its height.

  When a load is applied to the main frame 12, the both ends of the wire rope 62 can be rotated via the elastic body rotation shaft 82 until the main frame 12 sinks to some extent. Shows a relatively small stress. When a large impact is received from the wheel, the main frame 12 further sinks and the wire rope 62 comes into contact with the elastic body rotation stopper 83 to reduce the flexible region. The shock can be reduced within. Thus, by connecting the wire rope 62 so as to be rotatable and restricting the rotation region, a buffer caster corresponding to a relatively large step can be realized with a single wire rope while absorbing fine vibrations.

[Fourth Embodiment]
An embodiment in which the shock absorber support mechanism of the present invention is applied to a dual-wheeled free wheel used in a stroller will be described with reference to FIGS. 6, 7 and 8. FIG. 7 is a side view showing a state in which one wheel 5 of the free wheel having a twin wheel structure is removed for the sake of explanation. As shown in FIG. 6, the free wheel 200 having a two-wheel structure of a stroller includes a pair of wheels 53, 53, an axle 43 that supports the wheels rotatably at a predetermined interval, a leg portion 73, and a buffer. And an axle support mechanism 93. The shock absorber support mechanism 93 includes a cylindrical main frame 13 that accommodates the leg 73, a holder 85 that surrounds the outer periphery of the main frame 13 and is slidable in the longitudinal direction and the outer peripheral direction of the main frame 13, An axle support arm 33 that supports the rotating shaft 43, and first and second wire ropes 63 and 64 that are spanned between the holder 85 and the axle support arm 33 are provided.

  The main frame 13 is rotatably supported by the leg portion 73 via a ball bearing (not shown). A swing shaft 23 is provided at the lower end of the main frame 13, and an axle support arm 33 is pivotally supported via the swing shaft 23 so that the axle support arm 33 can swing. In addition, a swing stopper 88 is provided on the upper portion of the swing shaft 23 provided in the main frame 13 to limit the rotation range of the axle support arm 33. The holder 85 is provided with holder connecting portions 85a and 85b. A pivot pin 89 (FIG. 8) fixed to one end of each of the first and second wire ropes 63 and 64 is provided to the holder connecting portions 85a and 85b. By being slidably inserted into the provided holes, one ends of the first and second wire ropes 63 and 64 are pivotally supported by the holder connecting portions 85a and 85b. Similarly, the axle support arm 33 is provided with axle support arm connecting portions 33a and 33b, and the pivot pin 89 fixed to the other ends of the first and second wire ropes 63 and 64 is provided with the axle support arm connecting portions 33a and 33b. The other ends of the first and second wire ropes 63 and 64 are pivotally supported by the axle support arm coupling portions 33a and 33b. As shown in FIG. 7, the first and second wire ropes 63 and 64 are curved (elastically deformed) so as to draw an arc in a plane orthogonal to the wheel axle 43 (in the wheel rotation plane). ) And spanned between the holder 85 and the axle support arm 33. As described above, the side of the axle support arm 33 that is opposite to the side that supports the axle 43 can swing with respect to the main frame 13 via the swing shaft 23 that is rotatably provided on the main frame 13. It is attached.

  When a load is applied to the leg portion 73 of the free wheel 200 of the stroller, the axle support arm 33 tries to swing counterclockwise with respect to the main frame 13 as the leg portion 73 moves downward. At this time, the first and second wire ropes 63 and 64 stretched between the holder 85 and the axle support arm 33 are elastically deformed, and the repulsive force suppresses the movement of the axle support arm 33 with respect to the main frame 13. . When the universal wheel 200 gets over the stepped portion, the impact received by the axle support arm 33 through the wheel 53 is absorbed (relaxed) by the first and second wire ropes 63 and 64 being elastically deformed. At this time, the deformation direction of the first and second wire ropes 63 and 64 is a space between the axle support arm 33 and the main frame 13 or the leg portion 73, and is a direction parallel to the surface of the wheel 53. Therefore, the first and second wire ropes 63 and 64 do not affect the structure and operation of the caster, and the degree of freedom in design can be improved.

  Further, a rack gear 87 is provided in the front portion of the main frame 13, and the relative position of the holder 85 with respect to the main frame 13 can be moved by rotating a knob 86 attached to the holder 85. The rack gear 87 of the main frame 13 and the knob (pinion gear) 86 of the holder 85 function as a prestress adjusting tool. The two wire ropes can be attached and detached in the order of only the first wire rope 63, only the second wire rope 64, and both the first and second wire ropes 63 and 64 in accordance with the growth of the baby. When the knob 86 rotatably attached to the holder 85 is turned, the holder 90 moves up and down with respect to the main frame 13 while the knob 86 or a pinion gear (not shown) interlocked with the knob 86 engages with the rack gear 87 on the main frame 13. be able to. When the first and second wire ropes 63 and 64 are attached to the holder 85, the knob 86 is adjusted so that the stress of the wire rope is minimized, so that the holder 85 is positioned at the uppermost part of the main frame 13. Next, after putting the baby, the knob 86 is turned, the holder 85 is moved downward, the wire ropes 63 and 64 are bent, and the axle support arm 13 is adjusted slightly before it hits the axle support arm stopper 88. Appropriate sinking of the leg 73 suppresses vibration and noise. A lock mechanism (not shown) may be mounted to lock the vertical position of the holder 85. Such a support mechanism can prevent the leg 73 from sinking excessively when the baby is placed, and can travel the stroller while mitigating the impact that the baby receives from the road surface.

[Fifth Embodiment]
An embodiment of a shock absorber support mechanism of the present invention applied to a wheelchair caster will be described with reference to FIGS. 9, 10 and 11. The wheelchair caster 150 is mainly attached to a turning shaft 75 (fixed base) having a fastening member 75a to be attached and fixed to a mounting pipe (not shown) attached to a front portion of the wheelchair; A main frame 15 having a fork structure; a pair of axle support arms 35 swingably attached to the lower part of the main frame 15 via a swing shaft 25; and rotating from both sides via the axle 45 from both axle support arms. A wheel 55 is pivotably attached to the main frame 15, and a wire rope 65 is stretched over each of the main frame 15 and the pair of axle support arms 35.

  Further, three sockets 15a, 15b, 15c, 15d, 15e, and 15f are arranged on both hanging portions of the main frame 15 with openings facing rearward (right side in FIG. 9), and are similarly supported on the axle. In the vicinity of the axle 4 of the arm 35, sockets 35a, 35b, 35c, 35d, 35e, and 35f are arranged with the opening facing up. The pair of wire ropes 65 has tapered plugs 65a and 65b at both ends, respectively, and has a structure (not shown) that cannot be inserted / removed unless it is inserted / removed vertically with respect to the socket. This structure makes it easy for the user to remove the caster and replace it, but it does not come off while driving. Furthermore, a lock mechanism can be provided so as not to be accidentally disconnected during traveling.

  A wheelchair user can appropriately select a socket position on the axle support arm side and the main frame side to obtain a buffer wheelchair caster having a desired height and hardness. By providing the wire rope with different lengths and thicknesses as accessories, it is possible to further expand the range of selection of height and hardness. 11 shows that when the small wheel 57 is mounted, the length of the wire rope 65, the axle support arm side, the main frame side sockets 15b and 35b are selected, and the total height is the same as that shown in FIG. An example of adjustment is shown.

  When a load is applied to the turning shaft 75 of the wheelchair caster 150, the turning shaft 75 tends to move downward, and the axle support arm 35 tries to swing counterclockwise with respect to the main frame 15. At this time, the wire rope 65 stretched between the main frame 15 and the axle support arm 35 is elastically deformed, and the repulsive force suppresses the movement of the axle support arm 35 with respect to the main frame 15. When the universal caster 150 gets over the stepped portion, the impact received by the axle support arm 35 through the wheel 55 is absorbed (relaxed) by the elastic deformation of the wire rope 65. At this time, the deformation direction of the wire rope 65 is a direction parallel to the side surface of the wheel 55 (a surface orthogonal to the axle).

  9 indicates the position of the wheel 55 when the main frame 15 is used as a fork of the wheelchair caster and the wheel 55 is used as the axle of the swing shaft 25. The buffer wheelchair caster of the present invention is shown in FIG. It can be seen that a user who has the same eccentric distance, height, and swivel area (clearance) as a conventional caster can replace the buffer wheelchair according to the present invention without a sense of incongruity. In the wheelchair caster according to the above embodiment, the fork structure is exemplified for the wheelchair caster that is widely used at the present time. However, the fork structure is not limited to such a shape or structure, and an arbitrary shape or structure is adopted. sell.

[Sixth Embodiment]
An embodiment of the shock axle support mechanism of the present invention applied to a screw-type universal caster will be described with reference to FIG. A universal caster 140 shown in FIG. 12 is referred to as a multi-wire shock absorbing system, and includes a male shaft 74a that is fixed to a leg of a shopping cart by screwing and a pivot shaft 74 (fixed base) having a hexagon bolt head 74b; A main frame 14 rotatably attached to the turning shaft 74 via a swing shaft 24 via a swing shaft 24 from the front portion of the main frame 14; A wheel 54 supported on both sides of the axle support arm via the axle 44 so as to be rotatable, and a wire group 600 having both ends fixed to the axle support arms. The center of the wire group 600 is inserted through the through-hole group 14g at the rear of the main frame 14, and is arranged so as to intersect each other between the center and one end and multiple ends. When an impact is transmitted from the wheel 5, the axle support arm 34 swings and the wire group 600 is bent at the same time, and by friction with each other, the impact is absorbed by converting the kinetic energy into heat energy.

  In addition, since the wire group 600 can be seen as a wheel cover at first glance, it is possible to wipe out a strict image of the buffer caster. It is also possible to actually cover a stretchable sheet such as a rubber film on the wire group 600 to play a role of a skeleton of the wheel cover as well as a buffer function. In this example, the wire group 600 uses 6 wires, but may be 2 to 5 wires or 7 wires or more.

[Seventh Embodiment]
An embodiment in which the buffer axle support mechanism of the present invention is applied to a kickboard will be described with reference to FIG. The main frame 16 having the handle 16a rotatably supports the front portion of the kick board main body 300, bends largely forward at the lower portion, and supports a substantially U-shaped axle support arm 36 at the lower end portion. The axle support arm 36 supports the wheel 56 so as to be rotatable from both sides via the axle 46 in the vicinity of both ends of the substantially U-shape, and three wire ropes 66, 67, 68 from the vicinity of the axle are passed through the main frame 16. It is fixed to the other axle support arm through the holes 16c, 16d, and 16e, and has a substantially U shape. In this embodiment, the wire rope constitutes a part of the wheel cover of the kickboard, so that a unique (for example) mechanical impression is given to the kickboard while preventing children's footwear and foreign objects from getting caught in the wheel 56. Giving.

  As mentioned above, although this invention was demonstrated by embodiment with reference to drawings, this invention is not limited to them, The following various changes and improvement are possible.

<First modification>
In the above embodiment, as an application to the free wheel, the main frame 13 is provided in the leg portion 73 so as to be able to turn, but when applied to a fixed wheel that is not turned (which is often used for the rear wheel of a stroller), for example, In FIG. 7, the axle support arm 33 may be swingably provided directly on the leg portion (a part of the moving body) 73. Not only the free wheel and the fixed wheel, but the holder 85 may be omitted, and one end of the wire ropes 63 and 64 may be directly attached to the main frame 13.

<Second modification>
In the above embodiment, the rod-shaped elastic body is used. However, a coil spring conventionally used in casters may be used in combination with the rod-shaped elastic body according to the present invention. In particular, as described in the fourth embodiment, the rod-like elastic body is selectively detachable according to the load, so that various loads received by various vehicles equipped with the caster or the buffer axle support mechanism of the present invention or The resilience response can be adjusted as appropriate.

<Third modification>
In the said embodiment, although the wire which bundled the steel wire was used, not only this but a various rod-shaped elastic body can be used. Steel wires may be mixed with fine wires of plastic or rubber that are different in elasticity from steel. Further, from the viewpoint of safety and design, the outer periphery of the bundle of steel wires may be coated with plastic.

<Fourth modification>
In 1st Embodiment, although the wire 60 as a rod-shaped elastic body was connected with the axle support arm 30, you may use a wire as an axle. For example, a through hole is formed in a portion where the axle 40 of the wheel 50 is mounted, an axle support arm through hole through which the wire passes is formed also in the axle support arm 3, and the wire 60 may be inserted into these through holes. . Such an embodiment can be used, for example, for a vehicle having a small weight or a loaded load, such as a miniature automobile or a robot vehicle. In this case, the wire is preferably formed by plastic molding so that the axle portion is straight.

<5th modification>
In some of the above-described embodiments, the rod-like elastic body is shown as being stretched over and connected to the main frame and the axle support arm. By the way, the main frame may be provided with various accessories such as a subframe, a bracket, and a screw. Furthermore, there are cases where various connecting members (excluding the caster fixing base) are provided at a portion connecting the main frame and the fixing base or the main frame and the moving body. In such a case, those accessories and connecting members are also considered as a part of the main frame.

It is the schematic of the axle buffer mechanism or caster of this invention. It is a perspective view of the universal caster using the axle shock absorbing mechanism of the present invention. It is a side view of the universal caster using the axle shock absorbing mechanism of the present invention. It is a perspective view of other modes of a free caster using the axle shock absorbing mechanism of the present invention. It is a rear view of the other aspect of the free caster using the axle-cushioning mechanism of this invention. It is a perspective view of the twin-wheel caster using the axle shock absorbing mechanism of the present invention. It is a side view of the twin-wheel caster using the axle shock absorbing mechanism of the present invention. It is a rear view of the twin-wheel caster using the axle shock absorbing mechanism of the present invention. It is a side view of the wheelchair caster which applied the axle shock absorbing mechanism of the present invention. It is a rear view of the wheelchair caster which applied the axle buffering mechanism of the present invention. It is a side view of the modification of the wheelchair caster using the axle buffer mechanism of this invention. It is a side view of other modes of a free caster using the axle shock absorbing mechanism of the present invention. It is a perspective view of the aspect of the kick board using the axle buffer mechanism of this invention. It is a side view of the conventional buffer caster. It is a side view of the other conventional buffer caster.

Explanation of symbols

1, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 Main frame 17 Brackets 2, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26 Arm swing shafts 3, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36 Axle support arm 37 Swing arm 4, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47 Axle 5, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59 Wheel 6, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68 Wire rope (bar-shaped elastic body)
600 Wire group 70, 71, 72, 162 Top plate (fixed base)
73, 74, 75 Rotating shaft 77 Stopper ring 8 Moving body 82 Elastic body rotating shaft 83 Elastic body rotating stopper 84 Buffer mechanism 85 Holder 86 Knob 87 Rack gear 88 Axle support arm stopper 89 Pivoting pin 9, 93, 96 Axle support Mechanism 100, 110, 120, 140 Free caster 150 Wheelchair caster 180 Support pin 200 Free wheel 300 for stroller Kickboard body

Claims (12)

A fixed base to be fixed to the moving body;
A main frame supported by a fixed base;
An axle support arm swingably attached to the main frame;
Wheels supported by axle support arms;
A caster comprising a rod-like elastic body that is stretched between a main frame or a fixed base and an axle support arm. The caster according to claim 1, wherein the rod-like elastic body is a wire rope. A shock absorber support mechanism attached to a moving body having a main frame and wheels,
An axle support arm that is swingably attached to the main frame and supports the axle of the wheel;
A shock-absorbing axle support mechanism comprising a rod-like elastic body stretched between the main frame or the moving body and the axle support arm. The shock-absorbing axle support mechanism according to claim 3, wherein the axle support arm has a pair of arms, and both ends of the rod-like elastic body are connected to the pair of arms, respectively. The buffer axle support mechanism according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the rod-like elastic body is curved in a plane substantially perpendicular to the axle. The shock absorber mechanism according to any one of claims 3 to 5, wherein a part of the rod-like elastic body is swingably or slidably connected to one of the main frame and the axle support arm. . The shock absorber support mechanism according to any one of claims 3 to 6, wherein the rod-like elastic body includes first and second elastic bodies. The buffer axle support mechanism according to claim 7, wherein the first and second elastic bodies are detachable according to a load. The shock absorber support mechanism according to claim 7, wherein the first elastic body and the second elastic body come into contact with each other when the rod-shaped elastic body is bent. Furthermore, the buffer axle support mechanism as described in any one of Claims 3-9 provided with the mechanism for adjusting the elastic force of a rod-shaped elastic body. The shock absorber support mechanism according to any one of claims 3 to 10, wherein the rod-like elastic body is a wire rope. A vehicle using the shock absorber support mechanism according to any one of claims 3 to 11.

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