JP2011131075A - Table - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a table capable of easily locking and unlocking all four casters with just one operation lever, having good operability of the operation lever, and having a simple structure. <P>SOLUTION: The table has four casters 8 provided at the lower ends of legs 3, and supporting the legs 3, and a top plate which is pivotally fixed to the legs 3 by a horizontal shaft 5 in such a manner that it is turnable to an almost horizontal usage position and to a vertical folding position. In the table, the lower face of a top plate 4 is provided with a single operation lever 10 which is movable to a locking position and to an unlocking position. The operation lever 10 and locking devices 9 provided at each of the four casters 8 are connected by connection means 12, and the connection means 12 has a flexible part from the leg 3 to the operation lever 10. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a table including a caster with a lock device.

  A conventional table of this type has four casters provided at the lower ends of the legs to support the legs and the top plate supported by the legs, and a lock device is provided for each of the two rear casters. In some cases, both locking devices can be locked or unlocked by operating a pair of left and right operating levers provided on top of both sides of the leg so as to interlock with each other (for example, Patent Document 1). reference).

JP 11-348506 A

However, in the above-mentioned conventional one, only the rear two of the four casters are provided with a locking device, so that the braking performance of the table cannot be said to be sufficient, and the side front portion of the table is pushed. When done, the table may tilt slightly.
In addition, since the control levers are on both sides of the legs, the table user cannot operate the control levers while sitting down. There is inconvenience that it cannot be operated.

  In view of the above-mentioned problems of the conventional technology, the present invention allows all four casters to be easily locked and unlocked with a single operating lever, and the operability of the operating lever is improved. The object of the present invention is to provide a table having a simple structure and capable of linking an operation lever and four caster locking devices.

According to the present invention, the above problem is solved as follows.
(1) A top plate pivotally mounted with four casters provided at the lower end of the leg so as to be pivotable between a leg and a horizontal axis and a substantially horizontal use position and a vertical folding position. The table has a single operation lever that can be moved between a lock position and an unlock position on the lower surface of the top plate, and the operation lever and each of the four casters are provided. And a locking device that can lock the rotation of the wheel in conjunction with the movement of the operating lever from the locked position to the unlocked position, all the locking devices are unlocked, and from the unlocked position of the operating lever. In conjunction with the movement to the locking position, the linkage means are linked with each other so that all the locking devices are locked, and the portion of the linkage means from the leg to the operating lever is , And rise up along the legs, and then reach the operation lever along the lower surface of the top plate.

With such a configuration, all four casters provided at the lower end of the leg are provided with a locking device, and they can be unlocked at one time by releasing one operating lever. All of the casters can be locked to prevent the table from moving reliably, and the four locking devices can be unlocked simultaneously by one operation of one operating lever. Easy to use.
In addition, since the operation lever is pivotably provided on the lower surface of the front part of the top plate, the table user can operate the operation lever while sitting down to unlock the four locking devices at once. The table can be moved to a desired position, and operability is good.
Furthermore, when the top plate is rotated between the use position and the folding position, the linking means for linking the operation lever and each lock device does not hinder.

  (2) In the above item (1), the top plate is pivotally attached to the upper portion of the pedestal that faces substantially vertically in the leg so as to be rotatable about the horizontal axis, and the operation lever is operated from the leg in the linkage means. The portion up to this point is composed of a wire that rises along the pedestal and then reaches the operation lever along the lower surface of the top plate and a flexible guide tube that guides the wire.

  With such a configuration, the structure of the linking means can be simplified.

  (3) In the above item (1) or (2), the operation lever is accommodated in a casing provided on the lower surface of the top plate so as to be rotatable with an axis directed in the vertical direction.

  In such a configuration, since the operation lever is rotatably provided on the lower surface of the front portion of the top plate, the user of the table operates the operation lever while sitting down, so that the four locking devices are The lock can be released at a time, and the table can be moved to a desired position.

  (4) In the above item (3), the operation portion formed at the front end portion of the operation lever is projected forward through a window hole formed in the front surface of the casing.

  With such a configuration, operability is improved.

  According to the present invention, all four casters can be easily locked and unlocked with a single operating lever, and the operating lever has good operability and a simple structure. It is possible to provide a table that can be linked to a single caster locking device.

It is a side view of the use condition of embodiment of this invention. Similarly, it is a side view of a folded state. Similarly, it is a rear view of a use state. Similarly, it is a vertical side view of the lower end of the leg. Similarly, it is a bottom view of the leg when the caster is in a locked state. Similarly, it is a bottom view of the leg when the caster is in an unlocked state. Similarly, it is an enlarged plan view of an operation lever and its casing. Similarly, it is the perspective view which looked at the operation lever and its casing from diagonally upward. Similarly, it is an enlarged vertical sectional side view of a caster at the front and a mounting portion of the locking device. FIG. 10 is a sectional view taken along line XX in FIG. 9. It is the perspective view which looked at the locking device of the front part from the slanting back. It is the perspective view which turned the front locking device upside down and was seen from diagonally back. It is a disassembled perspective view of the internal mechanism of a locking device.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
1 to 13 show an embodiment of the present invention.
As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, this table has a substantially L-shaped left and right side view in which a pedestal 2 is erected from the rear part (sometimes an intermediate part) of a horizontal leg 1 facing in the front-rear direction. An intermediate portion of the top plate 4 is pivotally attached to the upper part of the pair of legs 3 and 3 with a horizontal shaft 5 facing in the left-right direction, and the top plate 4 has a use position that is substantially horizontal as shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 2, it can be rotated to a folding position facing the vertical direction parallel to the pedestal 2.

  The top plate 4 and the rear plate 6 provided below the rear portion thereof are used as shown in FIG. 1, and the folding position in which the rear plate 6 is located directly below the top plate 4 as shown in FIG. Since the rotation mechanism 7 for enabling the rotation is not directly related to the present invention, a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

  Casters 8 and 8 and locking devices 9 and 9 for the respective casters are respectively provided on the front and rear portions of the lower surface of the horizontal leg 1 of each leg 3. Therefore, the legs 3 and 3 and the top plate 4 supported by the legs 3 and 3 are supported by the four casters 8 provided at the lower ends of the legs 3 and 3.

On the front lower surface of the top plate 4 (one side portion or the center portion in the left-right direction), one operating lever 10 has a shaft 11 pointing in the up-down direction, and a lock position (L) and an unlock position (U ) And is pivotally attached to be rotatable.
This operating lever 10 has the above-described four locking devices 9 and linkage means 12 so that all the locking devices 9 are unlocked in conjunction with the rotation of the operating lever 10 from the locked position to the unlocked position. In conjunction with the rotation of the operation lever 10 from the unlocked position to the locked position, all the locking devices 9 are linked to each other so as to be locked.

Next, details of the linking means 12 will be described.
As shown in FIGS. 4 to 6, the intermediate portion of the rotation link 13 is pivotally attached to the lower portion of the horizontal leg 1 of the left and right legs 3 with the shaft 14 facing in the vertical direction. ing.
One end of the rotating link 13 and the operating rod 15 in the front locking device 9, and the other end of the rotating link 13 and the operating rod 15 in the rear locking device 9 have connecting rods 16 and 16 respectively facing in the front-rear direction. Are connected to each other.

  Each connection rod 16 and each end portion of the rotation link 13 are connected to the free end portion of the flat L-shaped connection fitting 17 fixed to the end portion of each connection rod 16 closer to the shaft 14. It is preferable to connect both end fittings 17 in a hook-like manner with the shaft 14 as the center by connecting to each end of the moving link 13 with a shaft 18 facing in the vertical direction.

  One end of a wire 19 is fastened to an extension portion 17 a that protrudes rearward from the shaft 18 in the connection fitting 17 fixed to the rear end of the front connecting rod 16. The wire 19 is inserted into a flexible guide tube 21 having one end fastened to a holding piece 20 provided on the lower surface of the horizontal leg rod 1 behind the shaft 14, and together with the guide tube 21, the wire 19 is horizontally mounted on the leg 3. After heading backward along the leg 1, it rises upward through the pillar 2, and then reaches the operation lever 10 along the lower surface of the top 4.

  As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the operation lever 10 is formed integrally with a winding drum 23 pivotally supported by a shaft 11 in a casing 22 fixed to the lower surface of the top plate 4, and is formed at the front end. The operation unit 10 a protrudes forward through a window hole 24 formed in the front surface of the casing 22.

The other ends of the guide tubes 21, 21 extending from the left and right legs 3 are wound around the winding drum 23 so that the wires 19, 19 drawn from there are smoothly wound without overlapping the winding drum 23. It is fixed to the casing 22 so as to face the tangential direction of the outer peripheral surface.
Each wire 19 drawn from the other end of each guide tube 21 is wound around a part of the outer peripheral surface of the winding drum 23, and a spherical wire end 25 provided at the other end of each wire 19 is a winding drum. 23 is fitted and locked in a fitting hole 26 provided on the outer peripheral surface of 23.

An accommodating hole 27 provided in a portion of the casing 22 adjacent to the winding drum 23 has a cylindrical shape facing an up-down direction so as to be pressed against an outer peripheral surface of the winding drum 23 by an elastic body 28 such as rubber. The pressing body 29 is accommodated.
On the outer peripheral surface of the take-up drum 23, when the operating lever 10 is set to the locked position (L) and the unlocked position (U), a shallow bowl-shaped recess facing the up and down direction to which the pressing body 29 is fitted. Grooves 30 and 31 are provided so that the operation lever 10 can be held in an elastic state at the lock position (L) and the unlock position (U).

  When the operation portion 10a of the operation lever 10 is rotated from the lock position (L) indicated by the solid line in FIG. 7 to the unlock position (U) also indicated by the imaginary line, both the wires 19 and 19 are wound on the winding drum 23. 5 and is pulled out from the guide tubes 21 and 21, and the pivot link 13 on the lower surface of the left and right legs 3 is moved from the lock position (L) shown in FIG. 5 to the unlock position (U) shown in FIG. ), The front and rear connecting rods 16, 16 are pulled toward each other toward the shaft 14, and the four operating rods 15 of the locking device 9 are pulled out almost simultaneously, and all the locking devices 9 are unlocked. The table can be moved freely.

  When the operation portion 10a of the operation lever 10 is rotated from the unlock position (U) indicated by the imaginary line in FIG. 7 to the lock position (L) also indicated by the solid line, both the wires 19 and 19 are loosened, and the locking device 9, the rotation link 13 is rotated in the direction opposite to the above by the biasing force of the compression coil spring 48 described later, and the front and rear connecting rods 16, 16 move away from the shaft 14, The operating rods 15 of the four locking devices 9 enter the locking device 9 almost simultaneously, all the locking devices 9 are locked, and the table becomes immobile.

As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, an arc surface 22 a is formed below the window hole 24 on the front surface of the casing 22, and the arc surface is formed below the base portion of the operation portion 10 a in the operation lever 10. An arc-shaped hanging piece 10b covering the half of 22a is provided.
When the operating lever 10 is in the locked position (L) indicated by the solid line, the left half of the arcuate surface 22a exposed forward is not covered with the hanging piece 10b and is colored red or “LOCK”. When the operating lever 10 is in the unlocked position (U) indicated by an imaginary line, the right half of the arc surface 22a exposed forward is not blue, and is not covered with the hanging piece 10b. It is preferable to color or add the word “FREE”.

  In the above configuration, the linking means 12 is formed by the rotating link 13, the connecting rods 16, 16, the wire 19, the guide tube 21, and the like.

Next, details of each caster 8 and its locking device 9 will be described. In the following description, only the front caster 8 and its locking device 9 will be described, and the rear caster 8 and its locking device 9 have the same structure that is symmetrical with the front caster 8 and its locking device 9 in the longitudinal direction. Therefore, explanation is omitted.
As shown in FIG. 9 and FIG. 10, each caster 8 includes a revolving member 33 pivotally supported by a lower end of the horizontal leg 1 with a revolving shaft 32 facing in the vertical direction, and both side surfaces of the revolving member 33. And a pair of wheels 35 and 35 pivotally supported by a horizontal shaft 34.

  An inner gear-shaped first engaged portion (36) centering on the turning shaft 32 is provided on the upper surface of the turning member 33, and a horizontal shaft 34 is provided on the opposing surfaces of both wheels 35, 35. A second engaged portion 37 having an internal gear shape centering on is provided.

  As shown in FIGS. 9 to 13, the locking device 9 includes a casing 38 attached to the lower end of the horizontal leg 1. The casing 38 includes a rectangular tube-shaped vertical guide portion 38b whose upper end is closed by an upper end wall 38a, and one side surface of the vertical guide portion 38b (the rear surface in the lock device 9 for the front casters 8 shown in FIG. 5). ) And a horizontal guide portion 38c in the form of a rectangular tube.

In the horizontal guide portion 38c of the casing 38, a prismatic actuating rod 15 whose base end is fixed to the connecting rod 16 is slid in the front-rear direction between the front locking position and the rear unlocking position. It is fitted as possible.
On both side surfaces of the front end portion of the operating rod 15, there are provided protrusions 40, 40 that are substantially triangular in a side view and that form an inclined surface 39 that expands up and down toward the front and whose upper surface is inclined forward and upward.
Further, stoppers 15a are provided on both side surfaces of the operating rod 15 so that when the operating rod 15 reaches the locked position, it abuts against the opening end of the horizontal guide portion 38c and does not move further forward. It has been.

A prismatic main body 42 of the first elevating body 41 is fitted to the vertical guide portion 38b of the casing 38 so as to be slidable in the vertical direction.
A through hole 43 facing in the front-rear direction that allows the operating rod 15 to pass therethrough is provided in an intermediate portion of the main body 42, and the left and right inclinations of the operating rod 15 are formed on both inner side upper portions of the through hole 43. Inwardly projecting portions 45, 45 provided at the lower end with inclined surfaces 44, 44 that are slidably mounted on the surfaces 39, 39 and inclined forward and upward at the same inclination angle as the inclined surfaces 39, 39. Is provided.

  The lower end of the main body 42 is configured to be able to mesh with a ring-shaped presser portion 46 centering on the turning shaft 32 and a part of the first engaged portion 36 having an internal gear shape just below the main body 42. The first engaging portion 47 made of one or a plurality of teeth is integrally provided so as to have the same height.

Between the upper end wall 38a of the vertical guide part 38b in the casing 38 and the upper end surface of the main body 42 in the first elevating body 41, a compression coil spring 48 serving as a first urging means is contracted.
The first elevating body 41 is always urged downward by the compression coil spring 48, and when the operating rod 15 is located at the locked position, as shown by the solid line in FIG. Meshes with the first engaged portion 36 on the upper surface of the swiveling member 33, and the ring-shaped presser portion 46 is in a locked position in contact with or close to the upper surface of the swiveling member 33 other than the first engaged portion 36. It is supposed to be located.

  From this state, when the operating rod 15 is pulled rearward by the connecting rod 16 and moved to the unlocked position, the inclined cam composed of the inclined surface 39 of the operating rod 15 and the inclined surface 44 of the first elevating body 41. By the action of the mechanism 49, the first elevating body 41 is pushed up against the biasing force of the compression coil spring 48 together with the inclined surface 44, and the first engaging portion 47 is 1 The unlocked position is separated upward from the engaged portion 36.

A bottomed hole 50 is provided at a position directly below the presser portion 46 on the upper surface of the swivel member 33, and a lift shaft 52 that faces the vertical direction of the second lift 51 is provided in the bottomed hole 50. It is slidably fitted in the vertical direction.
A horizontal hole 53 orthogonal to the intermediate part of the bottomed hole 50 is provided in the intermediate part of the swivel member 33, and the horizontal hole 53 branches in a bifurcated manner from the lower end part of the elevating shaft 52. A bifurcated member 54 having a generally downward U-shape projecting downwardly on both sides of the member 33 is fitted so as to be slidable in the vertical direction. Second engaging portions 55 and 55 that engage and disengage with internal gear-like second engaged portions 37 and 37 provided on the inner surfaces of both wheels 35 and 35 are provided at both lower ends of the bifurcated member 54. Yes.

Between the bottom surface of the bottomed hole 50 and the center of the bottom surface of the bifurcated member 54, a compression coil spring 56, which is a second urging means, whose urging force is weaker than the urging force of the compression coil spring 48 is contracted. .
The second lifting / lowering body 51 is always urged upward by the compression coil spring 56, and when the first lifting / lowering body 41 is located at the unlocked position as shown by an imaginary line in FIG. The upper end of the shaft 52 protrudes upward from the upper surface of the turning member 33, and both the second engaging portions 55, 55 are unlocked above the second engaged portions 37, 37 of both wheels 35, 35. Located in position.

  If the 1st raising / lowering body 41 is lowered | hung to a locked position from this state, the upper end of the raising / lowering axis | shaft 52 will be pushed down by the pressing part 46 of the 1st raising / lowering body 41, and the 2nd raising / lowering body 51 will carry out both 2nd engagement. The portions 55, 55 serve as lock positions for meshing with the second engaged portions 37, 37 of both wheels 35, 35.

As is clear from the above, according to this embodiment, when the operating portion 10a of the operating lever 10 is rotated from the locked position (L) to the unlocked position (U), both wires 1919 are pulled and the left and right The rotating link 13 on the lower surface of the leg 3 is rotated from the locked position (L) to the unlocked position (U), and the front and rear connecting rods 16 and 16 are pulled toward the shaft 14 with respect to each other. The operating rod 15 of the device 9 is pulled out almost simultaneously, and in each lock device 9, the first elevating body 41 is raised to the unlocked position by the action of the inclined cam mechanism 49, and accordingly the first engagement is performed. The portion 47 is disengaged upward from the first engaged portion 36, and the second elevating body 51 is lifted to the unlocked position by the urging force of the compression coil spring 56, so that both the second engaging portions 55, 55 are , Both wheels 35, The second engaged portion 37 of the 5 more detached upward.
Accordingly, all four casters 8 are free, that is, unlocked, so that the table can be moved freely.

When the operation portion 10a of the operation lever 10 is rotated from the unlock position (U) to the lock position (L), both wires 19 and 19 are loosened, and the biasing force of the compression coil spring 48 built in the lock device 9 is used. The pivot link 13 is rotated in the opposite direction to the above, and the front and rear connecting rods 16 and 16 are moved away from the shaft 14, so that the four operating rods 15 of the four locking devices 9 are locked almost simultaneously. In each lock device 9, the first elevating body 41 is pushed down to the lock position by the urging force of the compression coil spring 48, and accordingly, the first engagement portion 47 is first engaged. Meshed with the portion 36 and strongly prevents the turning member 33 from turning with respect to the horizontal leg 1, and the upper end of the second lifting body 51 is pushed down to the locked position by the pressing portion 46 of the first lifting body 41, Both second engaging parts 55 and 55 mesh with the second engaged portions 37 and 37 of both wheels 35 and 35, and the rotation of each wheel 35 is strongly prevented.
Accordingly, the turning of all the turning members 33 of the four casters 8 and the rotation of the wheels 35 are strongly prevented, and the table is immovable.

Depending on the timing at the time of the locking operation, the first engaging portion 47 rides directly on the teeth of the first engaged portion 36, or the tip of the second engaging portion 55 is connected to the second engaged portion 37. The first elevating body 41 may stop immediately before the lock position because the first elevating body 41 stops on the tip of any tooth and does not mesh immediately. In such a case, the first elevating body 41 is connected to the compression coil. Since the downward biasing force of the spring 48 is always applied, the swivel member 33 or the wheel 35 is moved slightly after that, so that they are reliably engaged with each other.
Also, during such incomplete meshing, the displacement of the stroke of the operating rod 15, the first lifting body 41 and the second lifting body 51 can be absorbed by the compression coil springs 48, 56. Excessive stress does not occur and durability can be improved.

As mentioned above, although preferable embodiment of this invention was described, this invention can also be implemented in the following deformation | transformation aspects within the range which does not deviate from a claim.
(a) Either one of the inclined surfaces 39 and 44 in the inclined cam mechanism 49 is simply a pin.
(b) In conjunction with the movement of the operating rod from the unlocked position to the locked position and in the opposite direction, the interlocking mechanism that raises and lowers the first elevating body is changed to a moving direction that performs the same operation other than the inclined cam mechanism 49. The mechanism.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Horizontal leg 2 Leg column 3 Leg 4 Top plate 5 Horizontal axis 6 Rear surface plate 7 Rotating mechanism 8 Caster 9 Locking device 10 Operation lever 10a Operation part 10b Hanging piece 11 Axis 12 Linking means 13 Rotating link 14 Axis 15 Actuating rod 15a stopper 16 connecting rod 17 connecting bracket 17a extension 18 shaft 19 wire 20 holding piece 21 guide tube 22 casing 22a arc surface 23 winding drum 24 window hole 25 wire end 26 fitting hole 27 accommodating hole 28 elastic body 29 pressing body 30 , 31 groove 32 swivel shaft 33 swivel member 34 horizontal shaft 35 wheel 36 first engaged portion 37 second engaged portion 38 casing 38a upper end wall 38b vertical guide portion 38c horizontal guide portion 39 inclined surface (first inclined surface) )
40 protrusion 41 first lifting body 42 main body 43 through hole 44 inclined surface (second inclined surface)
45 Inwardly projecting portion 46 Presser portion 47 First engaging portion 48 Compression coil spring (first urging means)
49 inclined cam mechanism 50 bottomed hole 51 second elevating body 52 elevating shaft 53 lateral hole 54 bifurcated member 55 second engaging portion 56 compression coil spring (second urging means)
(L) Lock position
(U) Unlock position

Claims (4)

The four casters provided at the lower end of the leg support the leg and the top plate pivotally attached to the leg so as to be pivotable between a horizontal position and a vertically folded position with a horizontal axis. In the table that was made to
A single operation lever is provided on the lower surface of the top plate so as to be movable between a lock position and an unlock position. The operation lever and each of the four casters are provided to lock the rotation of the wheel. All the locking devices are unlocked in conjunction with the movement of the operating lever from the locked position to the unlocked position, and in conjunction with the movement of the operating lever from the unlocked position to the locked position, All the locking devices are linked with linkage means that are linked to each other so that the locking device is locked, and a portion of the linkage means from the leg to the operation lever rises along the leg, and then along the lower surface of the top plate, the operation lever A table characterized by being made flexible.   The top plate is pivotally attached to the upper part of the leg column facing the substantially vertical direction in the leg so as to be rotatable about the horizontal axis, and a portion from the leg to the operation lever in the linking means extends along the leg column. 2. A table according to claim 1, comprising a wire extending up to the operation lever along the lower surface of the top plate and a flexible guide tube for guiding the wire.   The table according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the operation lever is accommodated in a casing provided on a lower surface of the top plate so as to be rotatable with an axis directed in a vertical direction.   The table according to claim 3, wherein an operation portion formed at a front end portion of the operation lever is protruded forward through a window hole formed in a front surface of the casing.

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