JP5672601B2 - caster - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a caster suitable for use in a cart used in supermarkets, convenience stores, etc., a cabinet used in hospitals, offices, homes, and the like.

  Conventionally, as this type of caster, for example, as shown in FIG. 12, the turning of the wheel 31 is regulated by the operation of the operation lever L attached to the bottom of the carriage T and provided on the handle part H of the carriage T. There is something that can be released. As shown in FIGS. 13 and 14, the caster connects the upper end of the operation wire 33 pierced through the axis of the support shaft 32 to the operation lever L provided on the handle portion H of the carriage T, so that the operation wire The lower end of 33 is connected to one end 35 a of a locking member 35 swingably attached to a wheel frame 34 that is pivotally attached to the support shaft 32, and the other end 35 b of this locking member 35 is connected to the torsion coil spring 36. It is assumed that an urging force is obtained and locked in a locking groove 37a provided in the fixed plate 37 below the support shaft 32 (Patent Document 1).

  In the conventional caster configured as described above, the other end of the locking member 35 attached to the wheel frame 34 as shown in FIG. 13 when the operation lever L is not operated (the state indicated by the solid line in FIG. 12). 35b obtains the urging force of the torsion coil spring 36 and is locked in a locking groove 37a provided in the fixed plate 37 below the support shaft 32, so that the wheel frame 34 and the fixed plate 37 are engaged. Thus, the wheel frame 34 does not turn, and as a result, the wheel 31 attached to the wheel frame 34 is also in a locked state in which turning is restricted.

  Further, in the conventional caster, when the operation lever L is operated (the state of the phantom line in FIG. 12), the operation wire 33 is pulled upward and the one end 35a of the locking member 35 is twisted as shown in FIG. Since the coil spring 36 is pulled up against the urging force of the coil spring 36, the other end 35b of the locking member 35 is pulled down. As a result, the locked state of the other end 35b of the locking member 35 and the locking groove 37a provided in the fixed plate 37 below the support shaft 32 is released, and the wheel frame 34 and the fixed plate 37 are in a free state. Thus, the wheel frame 34 can turn freely, and as a result, the wheel 31 attached to the wheel frame 34 is also in an unlocked state in which the turning restriction is released.

JP 2003-54209 A

  However, in the conventional caster, the turning of the wheel 31 can be restricted or the turning restriction can be released, but simultaneously with this operation, the rotation of the wheel 31 can be restricted or the rotation restriction can be released. It was not possible and had the problem that it was inferior in functionality.

  Further, in the conventional caster, since the torsion coil spring 36 must be incorporated in the wheel frame 34, the assembling work is troublesome, the structure is complicated, and the manufacturing cost is increased. It was.

  Further, in the above conventional caster, when the torsion coil spring 36 is incorporated in the wheel frame 34, the total height of the caster is increased. Therefore, when the caster is attached to the bottom of the cart or cabinet, the total height of the cart or cabinet is also increased. And the cabinet became unstable.

  Furthermore, in the conventional caster, usually, the bottom of a cart or cabinet is attached to a total of four places, two at the front and back, but the turning of the wheel 31 attached at one of the places is restricted. Therefore, two caster wheels 31 attached to the front two places at the same time, two caster wheels 31 attached to the rear two places at the same time, or four casters attached to the front and rear two places. At the same time, it is difficult to employ a total lock mechanism that restricts the turning of the wheels 31 and their versatility is poor.

  Therefore, the present invention has an object to solve the above-mentioned conventional problems, and can easily and simultaneously restrict the turning and rotation of the wheel and cancel the restriction of the turning and rotation with a simple operation. The assembly work is easy, and it was made for the purpose of providing a caster that does not increase the overall height of the cart or cabinet even if it is attached to the bottom of the cart or cabinet, and that makes it easy to adopt the total lock mechanism. is there.

In the present invention, a cylindrical lock shoe guide 2 is fixed below the mounting plate 1, and provided on the inner periphery of the cylindrical lock shoe 3 in a screw groove 2 a provided on the outer periphery of the lock shoe guide 2. The screw groove 3a is screwed and the lock shoe 3 is rotated to move up and down, and the main body frame 5 is pivotally attached to the lower side of the mounting plate 1 and the wheel 6 is rotated to the main body frame 5. It is assumed that the lock shoe 3 is lifted up and down, so that the lower peripheral end 3b of the lock shoe 3 is separated from the ground contact surface 6a of the wheel 6 or the ground contact surface 6a of the wheel 6 is moved. to be in contact with a frictional force, said locking shoe guide as the head 5a of the main body frame 5 from entering the 2, further operating rod to the outer peripheral portion of the lock shoe 3 The connecting portion 15 is provided with a tip end 4a of an operating rod 4 pivotally supported by the connecting portion 15. The caster is configured to rotate the lock shoe 3 by the operating rod 4, and is a caster. It is assumed that the connecting portions 15 of the lock shoes 3 of the front and rear casters are connected to each other at the four corners of the bottom portion by operating rods 4, and a connecting rod 21 is hung between the operating rods 4 on both sides. The connecting rod 21 is pivoted around its center 21a and the operating rod 4 is moved back and forth. A pulling line 23 is attached to one end of the connecting rod 21. The return spring 24 of the connecting rod 21 is attached to the other end of the contact 21 .

  Since the caster of the present invention is configured as described above, it is possible to simultaneously restrict the turning and rotation of the wheel or to release the restriction of the turning and rotation at the same time by a simple operation. Excellent operability and functionality.

  Furthermore, the caster according to the present invention has a small number of parts, an easy assembling work, and a low manufacturing cost.

  Moreover, even if the caster of this invention is attached to the bottom part of a trolley | bogie, a cabinet, etc., the total height of a trolley | bogie or a cabinet does not become high, but the trolley | bogie or a cabinet becomes stable.

  Furthermore, the caster according to the present invention is easy to adopt the total lock mechanism, and is versatile.

It is a side view of the caster of this invention. It is a disassembled perspective view of the caster of this invention. It is a half sectional view showing the unlocked state of the caster of this invention. It is a bottom view which shows the unlocked state of the caster of this invention. It is a half sectional view showing the locked state of the caster of this invention. It is a bottom view which shows the locked state of the caster of this invention. It is a side view of the rock shoe guide of the caster of this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows an example of the state which attached the caster of this invention to the bottom part of the cabinet. It is explanatory drawing which shows the other example of the state which attached the caster of this invention to the bottom part of the cabinet. It is explanatory drawing which shows the further another example of the state which attached the caster of this invention to the bottom part of the cabinet. It is a side view of the part enclosed by the ellipse in FIG. It is a side view which shows the state which attached the conventional caster to the bottom part of the trolley | bogie. It is sectional drawing which shows the locked state of the conventional caster. It is sectional drawing which shows the unlocked state of the conventional caster.

  Embodiments of casters according to the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

  In the caster of the present invention, a cylindrical lock shoe guide 2 is fixed below a mounting plate 1 screwed to the bottom of a carriage or cabinet, and a screw groove 2a provided on the outer periphery of the lock shoe guide 2 The thread groove 3a provided in the inner periphery of the cylindrical lock shoe 3 is screwed.

  Further, the caster of the present invention is configured to move up and down by rotating the lock shoe 3 with an operating rod 4 connected to the outer periphery of the lock shoe 3.

  Further, the caster of the present invention is such that the main body frame 5 is pivotably attached so that the head 5a of the main body frame 5 enters the lock shoe guide 2 below the mounting plate 1. It is assumed that the wheels 6 are rotatably attached to the legs 5b of the main body frame 5.

  In the caster according to the present invention, the lower peripheral end 3b of the lock shoe 3 is separated from the ground contact surface 6a of the wheel 6 by the up-and-down movement of the lock shoe 3, or the ground contact surface 6a of the wheel 6 is moved. It is assumed that the contact is made with frictional force.

  The mounting plate 1 has a substantially triangular shape with rounded corners. Screw holes 11 are provided near the three apexes, stop holes 12 are provided near the three sides, and screws 13 are respectively inserted into the screw holes 11. Screwed to the bottom of trolleys and cabinets.

  The lock shoe guide 2 is made of a light metal such as an aluminum alloy or a hard synthetic resin, and has a flat cylindrical shape. Protrusions 14 are provided at three positions on the upper surface, and the projecting parts 14 are fixed to the mounting plate 1. Each of the holes 12 is fixed to the mounting plate 1 by being fitted thereinto.

  The lock shoe 3 is made of a light metal such as an aluminum alloy or a hard synthetic resin and has a flat cylindrical shape. A connecting portion 15 of the operation rod 4 is provided on the outer peripheral portion. The tip 4a of the operating rod 4 is pivotally supported. Further, the lower peripheral end 3b of the lock shoe 3 is formed in a concavo-convex shape or is provided with a soft synthetic resin, rubber, or the like as a single body or a separate body so as to easily contact the ground contact surface 6a of the wheel 6 with frictional force. Can be.

  The operation rod 4 is made of a long metal plate, a metal rod or the like, and is operated as described later, and the lock shoe 3 is rotated at a rotation angle of 30 to 90 °. Thus, the lock shoe 3 is moved up and down.

  The main body frame 5 is pivotally attached to the lower side of the mounting plate 1 via a ball bearing 16, and a support shaft hole 17 is provided at the lower end of the foot portion 5 b, and penetrates the support shaft hole 17. The wheel 6 is pivotally supported on an axle 18. And by making this main body frame 5 incline in one direction, it is set as the structure (one-way clutch) in which the wheel 6 rotates only in one direction.

  The caster of the present invention configured as described above has a lower peripheral end 3b of the lock shoe 3 in a state in which the operating rod 4 is not operated or in a state in which the operating rod 4 is operated, as shown in FIGS. The wheel 6 is away from the ground contact surface 6a, and the wheel 6 is in an unlocked state in which turning and rotation are not restricted.

  Therefore, when the operation rod 4 is moved from the state shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 to the state where the operation rod 4 is operated or the operation rod 4 is not operated, and the operation rod 4 is moved to the left in the figure, the lock shoe 3 is moved. 5 and 6, the lower peripheral end 3 b of the lock shoe 3 comes into contact with the ground contact surface 6 a of the wheel 6 with frictional force, and the wheel 6 turns and rotates. Becomes a restricted lock state.

  5 and 6, when the operating rod 4 is not operated or the operating rod 4 is operated and the operating rod 4 is moved to the right in the figure, the lock shoe 3 is 3 and 4 again, the lower peripheral end 3b of the lock shoe 3 is separated from the ground contact surface 6a of the wheel 6, and the wheel 6 is restricted from turning and rotating. It will be unlocked.

  Further, as shown in FIGS. 8 to 10, the casters of the present invention configured as described above are respectively attached to the four corners of the bottom of a cart or cabinet, and the lock shoes 3 of the front and rear casters on both sides of the bottom. It is assumed that the connecting portions 15 are connected by the operation rod 4.

  In the case shown in FIG. 8, a connecting rod 21 is placed between the operating rods 4 on both sides, and the connecting rod 21 is swung around the center 21a so that the operating rod 4 is moved back and forth. The actuating rod 22 that is moved (up and down in the drawing) is attached to the center 21 a of the communication rod 21.

  Further, in the case shown in FIG. 9, a connecting rod 21 is passed between the operating rods 4 on both sides, and the connecting rod 21 is swung around the center 21a so that the operating rod 4 is moved back and forth. It is assumed that the pulling wire 23 that is moved (moves up and down in the figure) is attached to one end of the connecting rod 21, and the return spring 24 of the connecting rod 21 is attached to the other end of the connecting rod 21. Yes.

  Further, in the case shown in FIG. 10, an operating body 25 is provided on each of the operating rods 4 on both sides, and this operating body 25 is moved back and forth (up and down in the drawing) to move the operating rod 4 back and forth. It is assumed that the drawn wire 23 is attached to the front side surface or the rear side surface of the operating body 25, and the return spring 24 of the operating body 25 is attached to the side surface opposite to the side surface to which the drawn wire 23 is attached. . The drawing wire 23 is inserted into the protection tube 26 so as to be slidable together with the one shown in FIGS.

  As described above, the caster of the present invention can bring the wheel 6 into a locked state or an unlocked state with a simple operation, and is excellent in operability and functionality.

  Furthermore, the caster according to the present invention has a small number of parts, an easy assembling work, and a low manufacturing cost.

  In the caster of the present invention, the head 5a of the main body frame 5 enters the lock shoe guide 2, and the return spring 24 is not accommodated in the main body frame 5, so that the total height of the caster is lowered. Even if it is attached to the bottom of a trolley or cabinet, the overall height of the trolley or cabinet does not increase, and the trolley or cabinet becomes stable.

  Furthermore, when the caster of the present invention is attached to each of the four corners of the bottom of a carriage or cabinet, it has a simple structure as shown in FIGS. Since the turning and rotation of the wheels 6 of the caster can be simultaneously controlled, the total lock mechanism can be easily adopted, and the versatility is enhanced.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Mounting plate 2 Lock shoe guide 2a Screw groove 3 Lock shoe 3a Screw groove 3b Lower peripheral end 4 Control rod 5 Body frame 5a Head 6 Wheel 6a Grounding surface

Claims (2)

A cylindrical lock shoe guide (2) is fixed below the mounting plate (1), and a cylindrical lock shoe (3) is inserted into a screw groove (2a) provided on the outer periphery of the lock shoe guide (2). The thread groove (3a) provided on the inner periphery of the main body frame is screwed, and the lock shoe (3) is rotated to move up and down, and the main body frame (5) is placed below the mounting plate (1). It is assumed that the wheel (6) is rotatably attached to the main body frame (5) so that the lower peripheral end (3b) of the lock shoe (3) is moved up and down by the up and down movement of the lock shoe (3). The rock shoe guide (2) may be separated from the ground contact surface (6a) of the wheel (6) or in contact with the ground contact surface (6a) of the wheel (6) by friction. Inside the body frame (5) The connecting portion (15) of the operating rod (4) is provided on the outer peripheral portion of the lock shoe (3), and the distal end portion (15) of the operating rod (4) is provided in the connecting portion (15). 4a) is a caster that is pivotally supported, and the lock shoe (3) is rotated by the operation rod (4).
It is attached to each of the four corners of the bottom of the carriage, and the connecting parts (15) of the front and rear caster lock shoes (3) are connected to each other on both sides of the bottom by operating rods (4).
A connecting rod (21) is placed between the operating rods (4) on both sides, and the connecting rod (21) is swung around the center (21a) to move the operating rod (4) forward and backward. The pulling wire (23) to be moved is attached to one end of the connecting rod (21), and the return spring (24) of the connecting rod (21) is attached to the other end of the connecting rod (21). Casters that are characterized by being The caster according to claim 1, wherein the lock shoe (3) is rotated at a rotation angle of 30 to 90 °.

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