JP3204364U - Caster equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

A caster device capable of adjusting the strength of a light brake is provided. A caster device main body 1a attached to a moving body, a wheel 11 held movably up and down by the caster device main body 1a, and the caster device main body 1a are urged upward so that no load acts on the moving body. The caster device main body 1a and the wheel 11 are brought into contact with each other, and a coil spring 5 that applies a light brake to the wheel 11 and a light brake strength adjusting member 8 that adjusts the strength of the light brake applied to the wheel 11 are provided. [Selection] Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a caster device.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a caster device having wheels used by being attached to a moving body, for example, a chair, is widely known. In addition, such a caster device is such that a light brake is applied so that it stops when the chair is pushed by hand in a state where the chair is not seated and no load is applied and when the hand is released. Are known. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a caster device in which a light braking force is applied. The caster device disclosed in Patent Document 1 includes a caster device main body and a wheel held by the caster device main body so as to be movable up and down, and the caster device main body is moved upward with respect to the wheel by the biasing force of the biasing member. The caster device main body and the wheel are brought into contact with each other by urging the wheel, whereby, for example, a light brake is applied to the wheel in a state where no load is applied to a chair as a moving body.

Utility Model Registration No. 3195358

  By the way, rolling of a wheel changes with kinds of wheel mounting surface on which a wheel is mounted. For example, when a wheel is placed on a flooring floor and when placed on a carpeted floor, the wheel rolls more easily on a carpeted floor than on a flooring floor. .

  However, in Patent Document 1, the strength of the light brake cannot be adjusted. Therefore, for example, there is a problem that the light brake cannot be made suitable for the kind of floor such as a flooring floor or a carpeted floor.

  Moreover, although the request | requirement of the intensity | strength of a light brake may change with users, in patent document 1, the intensity | strength of a light brake cannot be adjusted. Therefore, the strength of the light brake cannot be adjusted according to the user.

  This invention is made | formed in view of said situation, and it aims at providing the caster apparatus which can adjust the intensity | strength of a light brake.

  In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention comprises a caster device main body attached to a moving body, and a wheel held by the caster device main body so as to be movable up and down, and with respect to the wheel by a biasing force of a biasing member. A caster device configured to apply a light brake to the wheel by urging the caster device body upward and bringing the caster device body and the wheel into contact with each other in a state where no load is applied to the movable body. The caster device further includes a light brake strength adjusting member for adjusting the strength of the light brake in a state where no load is applied to the movable body.

  According to this, the strength of the light brake can be appropriately adjusted by the light brake strength adjusting member. Thereby, the strength of the light brake suitable for the kind of the floor such as the floor of the flooring or the floor on which the carpet is laid can be obtained, and the strength of the light brake can be adjusted according to the user. Therefore, the caster device of the present application is easy to use. Here, the “light brake” refers to a braking force that advances when the moving body with the caster device attached is pushed by hand and stops when the hand is released.

  The light brake strength adjusting member is engaged with the caster device main body so that the vertical position can be adjusted, and the biasing member is attached to the wheel according to the vertical position of the light brake strength adjusting member with respect to the caster device main body. On the other hand, the size of the contact force between the caster device main body and the wheel can be changed by changing the magnitude of the urging force for urging the caster device main body.

  According to this, if the vertical position of the light brake strength adjusting member is changed with respect to the caster device main body, the magnitude of the urging force of the urging member is changed accordingly and the magnitude of the contact resistance between the caster device main body and the wheel is changed accordingly. The strength of the light brake can be adjusted easily.

  An axle holding the wheel; and a bearing member supporting the axle; the bearing member comprising an urging member first receiving portion for receiving a lower end of the urging member, and adjusting the light brake strength. The member includes an engaging portion engaged with the caster device main body so as to be vertically movable, and an urging member second receiving portion that receives an upper end of the urging member, and the urging member is the caster device main body. As the light brake strength adjusting member moves up and down, the biasing member first receiver can change the biasing force of the biasing member second receiving portion to the upper side of the biasing member first receiving portion. It can be made the structure arrange | positioned between a part and the said urging | biasing member 2nd receiving part.

  According to this, the strength of the light brake can be adjusted more easily.

  The bearing member includes a notch extending in a vertical direction, and the caster device main body includes a frame and a switching member that is disposed at a position above the bearing member and has a convex portion that is rotatably held by the frame. The convex portion is switched between an upper surface abutting position where the convex portion can abut on an upper surface of the bearing member and a notch entering position where the convex portion can enter when the switching member rotates with respect to the frame. And when the caster device body moves downward against the urging force of the urging member in accordance with the action of the load on the moving body, the convex portion is at the upper surface contact position. A light brake that contacts the upper surface of the bearing member and is formed to enter the notch at the notch entry position, and the frame applies the light brake to the wheel. And a heavy brake portion that applies a heavy brake having a stronger braking force than a light brake to the caster device main body, and the light brake portion is moved when the caster device main body is moved downward by the action of a load on the movable body. The heavy brake portion is formed so as to be in non-contact with the wheel, and the wheel moves as the convex portion enters the notch when the caster device main body is moved downward by the action of a load on the moving body. The heavy brake portion can be configured so as to be able to apply the heavy brake by contacting the wheel mounting surface on which is mounted.

  According to this, when the caster device main body moves down against the urging force of the urging member when the load is applied to the moving body, the light brake part is not in contact with the wheel, and the contact resistance between them does not occur. become. In addition, when the caster device body moves downward, when the convex part enters the notch, the heavy brake part comes into contact with the wheel mounting surface and applies the heavy brake, while the convex part is on the upper surface of the switching member. When abutting, the heavy brake part is not in contact with the wheel mounting surface, and the wheel is in a free state in which no resistance is generated by the light brake part and heavy brake part. Therefore, it is possible to increase the utility value by providing the caster device having such a configuration with the light brake strength adjusting member.

  The caster device of the present invention can adjust the strength of the light brake.

It is a disassembled perspective view of the caster apparatus which concerns on one embodiment of this invention. It is a perspective view of the caster apparatus of FIG. It is a top view of the caster apparatus of FIG. It is a side view of the caster apparatus of FIG. It is the IV-IV sectional view taken on the line of FIG. It is a side view in the state where the load was applied to the caster apparatus from the state of FIG. It is VII-VII stopper sectional drawing of FIG. It is a top view of the state which switched the switching member to the upper surface contact position. It is sectional drawing of the state which switched the switching member to the upper surface contact position. FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of a state where a load is applied in the state of FIG. 9 in which the switching member is switched to the upper surface contact position. It is a perspective view at the time of rotating operation of a light brake strength adjustment member. It is sectional drawing after rotating the light brake strength adjustment member from the state of FIG.

  Hereinafter, embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a caster device according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the caster device of FIG. 1, FIG. 3 is a plan view of the caster device of FIG. 1, and FIG. FIG. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line VV in FIG.

  The caster device 1 of the present invention includes a caster device body 1a, an axle 12, a wheel 11, a coil spring (biasing member) 5, and a light brake strength adjusting member 8.

  The caster device main body 1 a includes a frame 2, a bearing member 3, a switching member 4, and a brake cap 7.

  The frame 2 includes an insertion shaft 10 that is inserted into and fixed to a moving body, for example, a leg portion of a chair. At a position offset from the insertion shaft 10 to one side, a vertically long hole 2b is formed through which an axle 12 holding a pair of left and right wheels 11 penetrates in a vertically movable manner. As shown in FIG. 5, a vertical frame hole 2c is formed at the center of the frame 2 at the position of the vertical hole 2b.

  Arc-shaped light brake portions 2d are formed on the upper portions of the left and right outer surfaces of the frame 2 at the position of the vertically long hole 2b.

  Wheels 11 are rotatably supported at both ends of the axle 12 that penetrates the vertically long hole 2b. When the frame 2 is moved upward and the light brake part 2d is in contact with the inner surface of each wheel 11, the wheels 11 are in contact with each other. An annular brake recess 11a for applying a brake is formed. When the frame 2 moves downward and the light brake portion 2d moves away from the brake recess 11a (see FIG. 10), the wheel 11 becomes free (rotatable).

  As shown in FIG. 5, a brake cap 7 is fitted to the lower portion of the frame hole 2 c of the frame 2. As shown in FIG. 7, the lower end 71 of the brake cap 7 is a heavy brake that contacts the floor surface (wheel mounting surface) F and applies a heavy brake stronger than the light brake when it moves down together with the frame 2. Parts.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 5, the switching member 4 includes a cylindrical switching member main body 41 and a convex portion 42 formed on the lower side of the switching member main body 41.

  The switching member main body 41 includes an adjustment member receiving portion 411 that slidably receives the light brake strength adjusting member 8 on the lower side of the inner periphery, and the light brake strength adjusting member 8 on the upper side of the inner periphery. An internal thread portion 412 is provided as an engaging portion to be engaged.

  In addition, the switching member main body 41 of this embodiment includes a groove-shaped rotation operation unit 413 that rotates the switching member main body 41 above the adjustment member receiving unit 411.

  The convex portion 42 has a tip abutting against the upper surface of the bearing member 3 and fits into a notch 3b of the bearing member 3 described later. In this embodiment, the convex portions 42 are mutually connected to the switching member main body 41. It is comprised from a pair of thing arrange | positioned facing the circumferential direction at intervals. Each protrusion 42 protrudes downward from the lower end of the switching member main body 41 with a predetermined length.

  Then, the switching member 4 formed in this way can be rotated to the upper surface contact position where the convex portion 42 contacts the upper surface of the bearing member 3 and the notch insertion position where the protrusion 42 fits into the notch portion 3b. 2 is held.

  In this embodiment, on the upper surface of the frame 2, the operation position of the rotation operation unit 413 is aligned with the upper surface contact position mark 4 a that aligns with the upper surface contact position of the switching member 4 and the notch insertion position. The notch entry position mark 4b to be displayed is displayed.

  The bearing member 3 includes a horizontal shaft hole 3 a, and the axle shaft 12 is inserted into the horizontal shaft hole 3 a, whereby the bearing member 3 is supported by the axle shaft 12.

  Further, on the outer periphery of the bearing member 3, vertical notches 3 b are formed at symmetrical positions of 180 degrees.

  Further, on the upper surface of the bearing member 3, an urging member first receiving portion 31 that receives the lower end of the coil spring 5 is provided.

  The bearing member 3 configured in this manner is fitted to the frame hole portion 2c of the frame 2 so as to be movable up and down while being supported by the axle 12 as shown in FIG.

  Next, the light brake strength adjusting member 8 will be described. As shown in FIG. 5, the light brake strength adjusting member 8 includes a biasing member second receiving portion 83 that receives the upper end of the coil spring 5 on the lower end surface.

  Further, the light brake strength adjusting member 8 includes a received portion 81 slidably received by the adjusting member receiving portion 411 of the switching member 4 on the lower side of the outer periphery as shown in FIGS. A male screw portion 82 as an engaged portion that is screwed into the female screw portion 412 of the switching member 4 is provided on the upper side of the outer periphery.

  By engaging the male screw portion 82 with the female screw portion 412 of the switching member 4, the light brake strength adjusting member 8 is engaged with the switching member 4 (caster device main body 1a) so as to be rotatable and vertically movable. Then, when the light brake strength adjusting member 8 is rotated with respect to the switching member 4 screwed, the received portion 81 slides on the adjusting member receiving portion 411 of the switching member 4 and the light brake is adjusted. The strength adjusting member 8 moves down or up with respect to the switching member 4 (caster device main body 1a). In this engaged state, the urging member second receiving portion 83 faces the urging member first receiving portion 31.

  Further, the light brake strength adjusting member 8 includes a tool engaging portion 84 on the upper surface for engaging the tool 9 (see FIG. 11) in a non-rotatable manner.

  The lower end of the coil spring 5 is received by the biasing member first receiving portion 31, and the upper end of the coil spring 5 is received by the biasing member second receiving portion 83 to bias the biasing member first receiving portion 31. Arranged between the biasing member first receiving portion 31 of the bearing member 3 and the biasing member second receiving portion 83 of the light brake strength adjusting member 8 so as to bias the member second receiving portion 83 upward. Has been.

  When the frame 2 is urged upward by the coil spring 5 via the light brake strength adjusting member 8 and the switching member 4, the light brake portion 2d contacts the inner surface of the brake recess 11a of the wheel 11, thereby A light brake is applied to the wheel 11. The strength of the light brake due to the contact resistance between the light brake portion 2 d and the wheel 11 varies depending on the vertical position of the light brake strength adjusting member 8.

  For example, when the light brake strength adjusting member 8 is turned from the state shown in FIG. 5 and moves downward to the bearing member 3 side as shown in FIG. 12, the biasing member first receiving portion of the bearing member 3 is moved. The distance L2 between the biasing member first receiving portion 31 and the biasing member second receiving portion 83 in the state shown in FIG. 5 is the distance L1 between the biasing member second receiving portion 83 of the light brake strength adjusting member 8 and the biasing member second receiving portion 83. Shorter than. As a result, the amount of compression of the coil spring 5 is increased as compared to before the downward movement, and the urging force for urging the urging member second receiving portion 83 upward is increased. Thereby, the contact resistance between the light brake portion 2d and the wheel 11 is increased, and the strength of the light brake is increased. On the other hand, when the light brake strength adjusting member 8 is rotated in the opposite direction to move upward with respect to the bearing member 3, the biasing member first receiving portion 31 of the bearing member 3 and the light brake strength adjustment are adjusted. As a result, the distance between the member 8 and the biasing member second receiving portion 83 becomes longer, and as a result, the amount of compression of the coil spring 5 becomes smaller than before the upward movement, and the biasing member second receiving portion 83 is moved upward. The urging force that urges to the side is reduced. Thereby, the contact resistance between the light brake portion 2d and the wheel 11 is reduced, and the strength of the light brake is reduced.

  Next, the operation of the caster device 1 of the present invention configured as described above will be described taking as an example the case where the caster device 1 is used as a moving body attached to a chair.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, when the rotation operation unit 413 is aligned with the notch entry position mark 4 b and the switching member 4 is disposed at the upper surface contact position, no load is applied to the chair. As shown in FIG. 5, the frame 2 is moved upward by a spring force, and the light brake portion 2 d comes into contact with the wheel 11, so that the wheel 11 is lightly braked.

  The strength of the light brake can be adjusted by rotating the light brake strength adjusting member 8.

  Specifically, as shown in FIG. 11, the tool 9 is engaged with the tool engaging portion 84 of the light brake strength adjusting member 8, and the tool 9 is rotated. Thereby, the light brake strength adjustment member 8 can be rotated with respect to the switching member 4, and the light brake strength adjustment member 8 can be adjusted up and down. For example, by rotating the engaged tool 9 clockwise from the state shown in FIG. 11, the light brake strength adjusting member 8 can move downward to increase the urging force of the coil spring 5. The contact resistance between the portion 2d and the wheel 11 is increased, and the strength of the light brake is increased. Therefore, for example, in the case of a floor where wheels are easy to roll, such as flooring, the strength of the light brake can be increased.

  On the other hand, by rotating the tool 9 counterclockwise from the state shown in FIG. 12, the light brake strength adjusting member 8 can move upward, and the biasing force of the coil spring 5 can be reduced. The contact resistance between 2d and the wheel 11 is reduced, and the strength of the light brake is reduced. Therefore, for example, in the case of a floor where wheels are difficult to roll, such as a carpeted floor, the strength of the light brake can be reduced. Therefore, the strength of the light brake can be appropriately adjusted according to the type of floor used, the user's preference, and the like.

  In this state, when the chair is seated and the load W acts on the chair, the frame 2 moves down against the spring force, the light brake portion 2d moves away from the wheel 11, and the two are not in contact with each other. It will be in a state that does not take.

  Further, when the frame 2 moves downward against the spring force, the projecting portion 42 fits into the notch 3b of the bearing member 3 as shown in FIG. Move down until 7 contacts the floor. Therefore, in this state, even if the wheel 11 tries to roll on the floor surface, the frame 2 receives resistance from the floor surface and the wheel 11 cannot roll, and a heavy brake having a braking force stronger than the light brake is applied. It becomes a state.

  On the other hand, when the rotation operation unit 413 is rotated and aligned with the upper surface contact position mark 4a as shown in FIG. 8, the switching member 4 is disposed at the upper surface contact position. In this state, when no load is applied to the chair, the frame 2 is moved upward by a spring force as shown in FIG. When the portion 2d comes into contact with the wheel 11, the wheel 11 is lightly braked.

  Further, when the frame 2 moves downward against the spring force, the convex portion 42 comes into contact with the upper surface of the bearing member 3 as shown in FIG. Thereby, the downward movement of the frame 2 is stopped. In this state, the brake cap 7 disposed at the lower end of the frame 2 is not in contact with the floor surface. Therefore, the wheel 11 is in a free state.

  In addition, although the said embodiment took the chair as an example as a moving body, it cannot be overemphasized that it can apply also to other moving bodies, such as a table.

  Moreover, the said embodiment is a type which attaches the flame | frame 2 by offsetting the axle shaft 12 with respect to the insertion axis | shaft 10, and turning. However, it is also possible to adopt a type in which the frame 2 does not turn, that is, rotates without offsetting the axle 12 with respect to the insertion shaft 10.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Caster apparatus 1a Caster apparatus main body 2 Frame 3 Bearing member 3b Notch part 4 Switching member 42 Convex part 5 Coil spring (biasing member)
8 Light brake strength adjusting member 11 Wheel 12 Axle F Floor W Load

Claims (4)

A caster device main body attached to the movable body; and a wheel held by the caster device main body so as to be movable up and down, and biasing the caster device main body upward with respect to the wheel by a biasing force of a biasing member. A caster device in which a light brake is applied to the wheel by bringing the caster device main body and the wheel into contact with each other in a state in which no load acts on the movable body,
A caster device, further comprising a light brake strength adjusting member for adjusting the strength of the light brake in a state where no load acts on the movable body. The light brake strength adjusting member is engaged with the caster device main body so that the vertical position can be adjusted,
The urging member changes the magnitude of the urging force that urges the caster device main body against the wheel according to the vertical position of the light brake strength adjusting member with respect to the caster device main body, and the caster device main body. The caster device according to claim 1, wherein the caster device is formed so as to be able to change a magnitude of a contact resistance with the wheel. An axle that holds the wheel; and a bearing member that supports the axle;
The bearing member includes a biasing member first receiving portion that receives a lower end of the biasing member,
The light brake strength adjusting member includes an engaging portion engaged with the caster device main body so as to be vertically movable, and a biasing member second receiving portion that receives an upper end of the biasing member,
The urging member may change the urging force of the urging member second receiving portion to the upper side with respect to the urging member first receiving portion as the light brake strength adjusting member moves up and down with respect to the caster device main body. The caster device according to claim 1, wherein the caster device is arranged between the first biasing member receiving portion and the second biasing member receiving portion. The bearing member includes a notch along the vertical direction,
The caster device body includes a frame, and a switching member that is disposed above the bearing member and has a convex portion that is rotatably held by the frame.
The convex portion is switched between an upper surface abutting position where the convex portion can abut on an upper surface of the bearing member and a notch entering position where the convex portion can enter the notch when the switching member rotates with respect to the frame. And when the caster device body moves downward against the urging force of the urging member with the action of a load on the movable body, the convex portion is located at the upper surface contact position at the bearing. Abutting on the upper surface of the member, formed so as to enter the notch at the notch entry position,
The frame includes a light brake portion that applies the light brake to the wheel, and a heavy brake portion that applies a heavy brake having a stronger braking force than the light brake to the caster device body.
The light brake portion is formed so as to be in non-contact with the wheel when the caster device main body is moved downward by the action of a load on the moving body,
The heavy brake portion comes into contact with a wheel mounting surface on which the wheel is mounted as the convex portion enters the notch when the caster device main body is moved downward by the action of a load on the moving body. The caster device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the heavy brake portion is formed so as to be able to apply a heavy brake.

Images