JP2734937B2 - Connecting device for top plate and legs - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a connecting device for a top plate and a leg for connecting the top plate such as a steel desk and the leg with one-touch via a connecting tool.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a connecting device between a top plate and a leg portion has been disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 62-21524, which was previously filed by the present applicant. That is, as a connecting tool for connecting the top plate and the legs, a taper is formed by tapering both end edges of both side plates of the U-shaped cross-section frame including the both side plates and the connecting plate toward the tip, and closer to one side between the both side plates. The base end of the locking piece having a claw outward on the distal end is rotatably supported, and the supporting piece and the locking piece formed by extending from the connecting plate of the frame near the other side between both side plates are formed. A metal that has a spring interposed between the distal end portions to elastically urge the locking piece outward, thereby allowing the claw to be able to protrude and retract from the taper to the side, and further having a pin having a head on the connecting plate. Is disclosed.

[0003] The pins of the connecting tool are removably fitted and locked in gourd holes opened in a reinforcing member fixed to the lower surface of the top plate, while the upper portions of the legs such as a sleeve portion having a leg plate and a drawer. A part of the plate is recessed in a truncated square pyramid, and the bottom plate of the recess is punched vertically in a square shape to form a mounting portion having a mounting opening and an inclined guide portion, and approximately half of the connecting tool is fitted into this mounting portion. At the same time, the pawl is engaged with the rim of the mounting port to be connected.

[0004] As described above, by connecting the top plate and the legs with one touch at the construction site using the connecting tool and assembling the desks, there is an effect that the storage cost and the transportation cost can be reduced. The conventional connecting tool is made of metal which requires complicated processing and requires high precision, and has a large number of parts, so that it is expensive and hinders cost reduction of desks and the like.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the above-mentioned situation, what the present invention seeks to solve is that processing is simple,
The overall cost of the product is reduced by using a synthetic resin connector that is inexpensive to manufacture, and a structure that can ensure sufficient durability and strength is not available.The top plate and legs are more smoothly and one-touch than before. An object of the present invention is to provide a connecting device between a top plate and a leg that can be connected.

[0006]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, according to the present invention, a stopper hole is formed on one of the connecting surfaces of a top plate or a leg, and an opening and at least the opening are formed on the other connecting surface. A continuous inclined surface is formed on a pair of the rims, and an engaging protrusion of a connector integrally formed of synthetic resin is fitted and locked in the stop hole, and an elasticity protruding from a side of the connector is provided. A connecting device for a top plate and a leg portion, wherein a locking claw having a restoring property is locked to an edge of the opening and connected to each other, wherein the connecting tool has the inclined body on both sides of a hollow body. A positioning portion having a taper joined to the surface is projected, and the engaging projection is formed at one of upper and lower ends of the body, and an elastic piece is formed at one side of the body and the tip thereof is formed. The locking claws protrude outwardly,
Further, a connecting device for connecting the top plate and the leg, wherein the elastic piece is stopped by a stopper formed on the body so that the elastic piece does not deform inward beyond the yield point.

[0007]

According to the present invention, there is provided a connecting device for connecting a top plate and a leg according to the present invention, wherein an engaging projection protruding from a body of a connecting tool integrally formed of synthetic resin is attached to the top plate or the leg. In a state fitted and locked in a stop hole formed on one of the connection surfaces, the body of the connection tool is inserted into at least one pair of the openings into the opening formed on the other connection surface of the top plate or the leg. When slidingly guided and fitted on the inclined surface continuous to the rim of the body, the taper of the positioning portion protruding on both sides of the body becomes a fitted state in which both tapered surfaces are inscribed, and during this insertion, The locking claw that was displaced inward against the elastic restoring force of the elastic piece by sliding on one inclined surface,
At the same time as the fitting, it protrudes through the opening, engages with the edge of the opening and is prevented from coming off, thereby connecting the top plate and the leg with one touch. To release this connection, the locking claw is pressed from the side to bend the elastic piece inward of the body, and the locking claw is moved away from the opening edge. This is done by lifting the plate. At this time, even if the locking claw is pressed excessively inward, the elastic piece abuts against the stopper formed integrally with the body, and the deformation beyond its yield point Is to prevent it. Further, even if a burr or an edge is inevitably formed at the edge of the opening in the process of forming the opening, a part of the protruding end is cut off when the locking claw made of synthetic resin passes through the opening edge. As a result, the locking claws pass smoothly without being caught by the burrs and edges of the lip.

[0008]

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a first embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 1 shows a steel desk 1 assembled by adopting a connecting device for a top plate and a leg according to the present invention. In the drawing, reference numeral 2 denotes a top plate, 3 denotes a leg composed of a sleeve having a plurality of drawers, FIG. 2 is a bottom view of the top plate 2 viewed from the connection surface side, and FIG.
Is a plan view of the leg 3 as viewed from the connection surface side, and FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the leg 3. FIGS. 5 and 6 show a connector 4 for connecting the top plate 2 and the leg 3 to each other.

The present invention can be applied to various kinds of furniture as long as it is an assembled furniture for connecting a top plate and a leg. In the present embodiment, an example in which the present invention is applied to a steel desk 1 is shown, which is the gist of the present invention. However, a stop hole 5 is formed on one connecting surface side of the top plate 2 or the leg portion 3, and an opening 6 is formed on the other connecting surface side and at least inclined surfaces 7, 7 continuous with a pair of rims of the opening 6. The engaging projection 8 of the connecting member 4 integrally formed of synthetic resin is fitted and locked in the stop hole 5 and the elastically projecting locking projecting from the side of the connecting member 4. A connecting device for connecting a couch 9 to an edge 10 of the opening 6 and connecting the couch 9 and the top plate to each other, wherein the connecting tool 4 is provided on both sides of a hollow body 11 with the inclined surfaces. Positioning portions 13 having tapers 12, 12 joined to the projections 7, 7 are protruded. At the same time, an elastic piece 14 is formed on one side of the body 11 and the locking claw 9 is provided on the outer side of the tip thereof. The elastic piece portion 14 is stopped by a stopper portion 15 formed on the body portion 11 so as not to cause the one-side deformation.

As shown in FIG. 2, a front reinforcing member 16 and a rear reinforcing member 17 made of metal extending laterally in front and rear of the lower surface are fixed to the top plate 2 of this embodiment. In the right place, mounting openings 6 are formed to engage with the locking claws 9 of the connecting tool 4, and the engaging projection 8 of the connecting tool 4 is fitted in the right place of the rear reinforcing member 17. A gourd-shaped stop hole 5 for stopping is formed. In this embodiment, two middle reinforcing members 18, 1 fixed between the front and rear reinforcing members 16, 17 are used.
8 are also formed at both ends so that they can be attached even when a leg plate is adopted as the leg 3. Further, the opening 6 formed in the front reinforcing member 16 is formed.
As shown in FIG. 5, is formed on the bottom surface of the concave groove 19 which is opened downward of the front reinforcing member 16, and the inclined side surfaces forming the concave groove 19 are the inclined surfaces 7,7.

Further, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the leg 3 of the present embodiment has a metal upper front plate 20 and a rear upper plate 21 at the upper ends.
The same stop holes 5 and 5 are formed in the front upper plate 20 at positions corresponding to the openings 6 and 6 of the top plate 2, and the stop holes of the top plate 2 are formed in the rear upper plate 21. Openings 6 and 6 are formed at positions corresponding to holes 5 and 5, respectively. The opening 6 formed in the rear upper plate 21 is formed on a bottom surface of a concave portion formed by depressing a part of the rear upper plate 21 downward in the shape of an inverted quadrangular pyramid, thereby forming the concave portion. The inclined peripheral surface is the inclined surface 7,.

As shown in FIG. 5, the stop hole 5 has a large-diameter hole 22 through which the engaging projection 8 can pass.
And the small diameter hole 23 through which the engaging projection 8 cannot pass is connected to the gourd shape.
2, a straight portion 24 is formed parallel or perpendicular to the common center line of the large-diameter hole 22 and the small-diameter hole 23. The straight portion 24 is provided for restricting insertion of the engagement projection 8 of the connecting member 4 into the stop hole 5 so that the engagement projection 8 can be inserted only when the orientation is directed to a predetermined direction.

Further, details of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. As shown in FIGS. 5 to 11, the connecting member 4 has a hollow body 11 having a substantially U-shaped cross section and one of upper and lower end surfaces thereof closed with a bottom plate 25, and a neck 26 and a head are provided at the center of the bottom plate 25. The engaging projection 8 comprising a projection 27 is provided, and a cutout 28 is formed on one side of the head 27 and on the open side of the body 11 so as to correspond to the linear section 24. The positioning portion 13 is formed by extending both sides of the opposite side plates 29, 29 of the body 11, which are closer to the bottom plate 25, flush with each other, and beveling the edge of the opposite side to the bottom plate 25. Thus, the taper 12 is formed. The inclination angle of the taper 12 is made to match the inclination angle of the inclined surface 7 formed on the front reinforcing member 16 of the top plate 2 and the inclined surface 7 formed on the rear upper plate 21 of the leg 3. Note that the upper and lower edges of the body 11, that is, the edges opposite to the side where the engagement protrusions 8 are provided, are chamfered 30.
Is formed to facilitate the insertion into the opening 6.

Further, the connecting piece 4 has an elastic piece portion 14 extending from the bottom plate 25 to the other end side between the side edges of the both side plates 29, 29 on the open side of the body portion 11, and the distal end thereof. A locking claw 9 is protruded outward. That is, the elastic piece portion 14 has a base end portion continuous with the bottom plate 25 and the side plates 29, 29, and a tip end portion between the slits 31, 31 between the side plates 29, 29.
Is provided so that it can be elastically deformed inward and outward of the body 11, particularly when the body 11 is elastically deformed inward, the tip of the locking claw 9 is positioned inward from the side edges of the side plates 29, 29. It is possible to position. Here, in order to increase rigidity against deformation toward the tip, the elastic piece portion 14 has a large thickness and a plurality of ribs 3 extending vertically on the inner and outer surfaces.
2, ... are formed. Further, on the locking surface side of the locking claw 9, a saw tooth portion 33 extending in the lateral direction is formed, and narrow projections 34, 34 are formed on both sides of the side protruding end. The protrusion 34 smoothly continues to the outer shape of the locking claw 9 in a side view. In a normal state where no external force acts on the elastic piece 14, the locking claws 9 protrude from the body 11.

A recess 35 for receiving the tip of a tool such as a screwdriver is formed on the side of the locking claw 9 opposite to the side where the saw tooth portion 33 is formed, and the tip of the tool is abutted in the recess 35. By pressing, the elastic piece 14 is attached to the body 11
Is elastically deformed inward, so that the locking claw 9 can be immersed in the body portion 11. At this time, the base of the elastic piece 14 is deformed beyond the yield point of the material,
Plastic deformation and cracks may occur, impairing elastic recovery,
Further, there is a possibility that the elastic piece 14 may be broken.
It is necessary to prevent inward deformation above the yield point. For this purpose, as shown in FIG. 10, the tip of the elastic piece 14 is formed by a stopper 15 provided inside the body 11 and at an edge of an intermediate plate 36 integrally formed between the bottom plate 25 and the side plates 29, 29. The inner side of the part is stopped. The intermediate plate 36 also serves to reinforce the body portion 11 and secure structurally sufficient strength. In the case where the intermediate plate 36 is not formed, the trunk portion 11 facing the elastic piece portion 14 is used.
The inner surface of the connecting plate 37 or a rib protruding from the inner surface of the connecting plate 37 can be used as the stopper portion 15.

The connection of the top plate 2 to the leg 3 using the connecting tool 4 is performed as shown in FIGS. FIG. 12 shows the connection at the front and FIG.
Indicates the connection at the rear, respectively. in this case,
The same connecting member 4 can be used upside down at the front part and the rear part, but it can be used in a state where the engaging protrusion 8 is directed downward and most of the connecting part 4 is housed inside the top plate 2. In the front part to be connected, the thickness of the top plate 2 is limited, so in this embodiment, the connecting tool 4 whose vertical dimension is reduced is used. However, since there is no difference in structure, the description will be made without distinguishing the connecting tools 4 used for connecting the front part and the rear part.

First, the head 27 of the engaging projection 8 of the connecting member 4
Is inserted into the large-diameter hole 22 so as to correspond to the notch 28 and the linear portion 24 of the stop hole 5, and is slid into the small-diameter hole 23 without rotating in the inserted state, so that the top plate 2 or the leg The top plate 2 is fitted and locked in the stop hole 5 formed in the portion 3 so as to be attached to the rear reinforcing member 17 of the top plate 2 in a suspended manner, and is also attached to the front upper plate 20 of the leg portion 3 in a mounted manner. Next, the top plate 2 is
When each of the connecting members 4 is placed on the upper surface of the main body 11, the respective connecting members 4 are guided into the corresponding openings 6 by the inclined surfaces 7, 7, and the tip of the body 11 is fitted. In this state, the tapers 12, 12 of the connecting member 4 are fitted in a state of being inscribed in the inclined surfaces 7, 7. When the connecting tool 4 is mounted in the opening 6, the locking claw 9 that has protruded laterally is pushed inward while sliding on one locking claw 9, and is completely fitted at the same time. The locking claw 9 is separated from the locking claw 9 and protrudes outward, and the serration 33 is engaged with the lip 10 of the opening 6 to engage with the retaining claw 9 in a retaining state.
The state shown in FIG. 14 is obtained. Here, when the locking claw 9 passes through the edge 10 of the opening 6, the protruding end has a burr or a sharp edge inevitably formed in the processing step of the opening 6, as shown in FIG. The edge 10 slides, but the projections 34, 34 are formed on the protruding end of the locking claw 9, so that the portion in contact with the lip 10 is limited to the projection 34, and the sliding resistance is reduced. The projection 34
Can be mounted very smoothly because a part of the rim passes while being scraped off at the lip 10.

When it is necessary to separate the top plate 2 and the leg 3, the tip of a tool such as a screwdriver is abutted against the concave portion 35 of the locking claw 9 and is pressed from the side. The elastic piece portion 14 is elastically deformed inward of the body portion 11 so that the locking claw 9 can pass through the rim 10 of the opening 6 and the top plate 2 is lifted to pull out the connecting member 4 from the opening 6. I'm leaving. Here, even when the locking claw 9 is pressed to deform the elastic piece portion 14 inward as much as possible, the stopper portion 1 of the intermediate plate 36 may be deformed.
Since the inner surface of the elastic piece 14 stops at 5 and restricts further deformation, there is no possibility that the base of the elastic piece portion 14 may be plastically deformed or cracked, impair elastic resilience, or even be broken. , Can be repeatedly attached and detached.

As described above, the present invention is characterized by utilizing the elastic resilience of the synthetic resin and devising its structure to provide a mechanical strength. Is integrally molded with a polycarbonate resin, but of course, other synthetic resins can also be used.

[0020]

According to the apparatus for connecting a top plate and a leg of the present invention as described above, a stop hole is formed on one of the connection surfaces of the top plate or the leg, and an opening is formed on the other connection surface. And at least a pair of rims of the opening are formed with a continuous inclined surface, and the engaging projection of the connecting member integrally formed of synthetic resin is fitted and locked in the stop hole, and the side of the connecting member is formed. A coupling device for connecting a top plate and a leg portion, wherein a locking claw having elastic resilience protruding from the opening is locked to an edge of the opening and connected to each other, wherein the connecting tool has a hollow body. Positioning portions having a taper to be joined to the inclined surface are protruded on both sides, and the engaging protrusions are formed at upper and lower ends of the body, and an elastic piece is formed on one side of the body. And the locking claw is protrudingly provided on the outer side of the distal end, and the elastic piece is so formed as not to cause inward deformation above the yield point. Since the elastic piece is stopped by the stopper part formed in the part, it is possible to achieve a significant cost reduction by integrally molding the connecting tool made of synthetic resin, but the connecting tool is completely useless. It has structural mechanical strength to the extent that there is no problem, and the elastic piece has excellent durability.

In the operation for connecting the top plate and the leg, the engaging projection protruding from the body of the connecting tool is inserted into a stop hole formed on one of the connection surfaces of the top plate or the leg. In the state of being fitted and locked, the body of the connecting tool is guided into the opening formed on the other connecting surface side of the top plate or the leg by a sliding surface continuous with at least one pair of rims of the opening. Then, the taper of the positioning portions protruding on both sides of the body becomes a fitted state in which both tapered surfaces are inscribed. During this insertion, the elastic piece portion slides on one of the inclined surfaces. The locking claw, which has been displaced inward against the elastic restoring force of the above, protrudes through the opening at the same time as the fitting, is engaged with the rim of the opening and is prevented from coming off, thereby connecting the top plate and the leg. Can be connected with one touch. Further, even if a burr or an edge is inevitably formed at the edge of the opening in the process of forming the opening, a part of the protruding end is cut off when the locking claw made of synthetic resin passes through the opening edge. As a result, the locking claws pass smoothly without being caught by the burrs and edges of the lip, so that the mountability is remarkably improved as compared with the case where a metal coupling tool is used.

Further, when releasing this connection state,
This can be performed by pressing the locking claw from the side to bend the elastic piece portion inward of the body portion and lifting the top plate with the locking claw separated from the opening edge. At this time, even if the locking claw is pressed excessively inwardly, the elastic piece portion abuts against the stopper portion formed integrally with the body portion and prevents deformation beyond its yield point, so that the elastic piece portion is plastically deformed. No damage or cracks are generated, and the elastic restoring property is not impaired. Further, there is no possibility of breakage.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a steel desk assembled by using a connecting device for a top plate and a leg according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a simplified bottom view of a top plate.

FIG. 3 is a simplified plan view of a leg.

FIG. 4 is a simplified longitudinal sectional view of the same.

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view showing a main part of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a connector.

FIG. 7 is a front view of the coupler.

FIG. 8 is a bottom view of the coupler.

FIG. 9 is a left side view of the coupler.

FIG. 10 is a sectional view taken along line AA of FIG. 9;

11 is a sectional view taken along line BB of FIG. 9;

FIG. 12 is a partially omitted cross-sectional view of a main part showing a connection state of a front part of a top plate and a leg part.

FIG. 13 is a partially omitted cross-sectional view of a main part showing a connection state of a rear portion of the top plate and the leg portion.

FIG. 14 is an enlarged sectional view of a main part showing a relationship between a locking claw and an opening edge.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Steel desk 2 Top plate 3 Leg part 4 Connecting tool 5 Stop hole 6 Opening 7 Inclined surface 8 Engagement protrusion 9 Locking claw 10 Mouth rim 11 Body 12 Taper 13 Positioning part 14 Elastic piece part 15 Stopper part 16 Front reinforcement Member 17 rear reinforcing member 18 middle reinforcing member 19 concave groove 20 front upper plate 21 rear upper plate 22 large diameter hole 23 small diameter hole 24 linear portion 25 bottom plate 26 neck portion 27 head portion 28 cutout portion 29 side plate 30 chamfered portion 31 slit 32 rib 33 Sawtooth part 34 Projection 35 Recess 36 Intermediate plate 37 Connecting plate

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A synthetic resin having a stopper hole formed on one of the connection surfaces of the top plate or the leg portion, an opening formed on the other connection surface, and an inclined surface continuous with at least a pair of rims of the opening. The engaging projection of the connecting member integrally formed of a metal is fitted and locked in the stop hole, and the elastically restorable locking claw protruding from the side of the connecting member is locked to the edge of the opening. A connection device for connecting the top plate and the leg portion, the positioning device having a tapered joining portion to be joined to the inclined surface on both sides of the hollow body portion, The engaging protrusion is formed at one of the upper and lower ends of the portion, an elastic piece is formed on one side of the body, and the locking claw is provided on the outer side of the distal end of the elastic piece. That the elastic piece portion is stopped by a stopper portion formed on the body portion so as not to cause inward deformation of the portion above the yield point. A unique connection device between the top plate and the legs.