JP7486256B1 - Roll bar - Google Patents

Abstract

[Problem] To provide a roll bar that can be installed on a vehicle or ship while preventing a decrease in the amount of supplies that can be loaded on the vehicle or ship. [Solution] The roll bar 1 according to the present invention is equipped with a bar main body 2, which is a frame that can be placed on a vehicle or ship and is composed of a tubular member 211 having a water storage space S formed therein capable of storing water, and a filling and draining mechanism 3 and a ventilation mechanism 4 provided in communication with the water storage space S. By storing water inside the roll bar and eliminating the need for a water tank for loading water, which is one of the supplies necessary for outdoor leisure activities, even when the roll bar is installed on a vehicle or ship. [Selected Figure] Figure 2

Description

The present invention relates to a roll bar that is installed on a vehicle or ship and is formed by combining tubular members into a specific shape. Generally, a combination of tubular members is sometimes called a "roll cage," but in this document it is called a "roll bar."

Conventionally, roll bars are installed on vehicles, which are formed by assembling tubular members made of high-rigidity steel or the like into a specific shape.

By installing such a roll bar inside a vehicle, the rigidity of the vehicle body can be reinforced, improving the safety of the occupants inside the vehicle. In addition, by placing the roll bar on the bed of a truck, it is possible to form a roof tent or a hood to cover people and objects on the bed (see Patent Document 1).

JP 2022-111510 A

Incidentally, in recent years, due to the spread of infectious diseases such as the COVID-19 virus, outdoor leisure activities such as camping and barbecues in the relative safety of the outdoors have become increasingly popular. For such outdoor leisure activities, vehicles are used not only as a means of transportation and for transporting supplies such as food, but also as living space. When using vehicles for these purposes, it is important to ensure that the vehicle can carry the amount of supplies needed for leisure activities.

However, when a conventional roll bar is installed in a vehicle, the amount of cargo that can be loaded is reduced by the amount of space required to install the roll bar, so it would be preferable to have a roll bar that can be installed while ensuring a large amount of cargo that can be loaded. There is also a demand for such roll bars on ships.

The present invention was made in consideration of the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a roll bar that can be installed on a vehicle or ship while preventing a reduction in the amount of goods that can be loaded onto the vehicle or ship.

To solve the above problem, the roll bar according to the first aspect of the present invention is characterized by having a bar body, which is a frame that can be placed on a vehicle or ship body and is composed of a tubular member with a water storage space formed therein, and a filling and draining mechanism and a ventilation mechanism that are provided in communication with the water storage space.

In the above roll bar, it is preferable that the bar body has a partition mechanism that divides the water storage space in an openable and closable manner.

It is preferable that the roll bar has a heating mechanism for heating the water stored in the water storage space.

It is preferable that the roll bar has a water level confirmation mechanism that allows visual confirmation of the water level stored in the water storage space.

In the above roll bar, it is preferable that the bar body has a fixed part that has a fixed shape and is placed on the vehicle body or the ship body, and a detachable part that is detachable from the fixed part, and that the fixed part and the detachable part form the frame body.

According to the present invention configured as described above, even if a roll bar is installed on a vehicle or ship, it is possible to omit the need for a water tank for carrying water, one of the supplies necessary for outdoor leisure activities, by storing water inside the roll bar. This makes it possible to prevent the amount of supplies that can be loaded onto a vehicle or ship from being reduced by installing a roll bar.

1A and 1B are schematic diagrams showing the use of a roll bar according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which FIG. 1A is a schematic diagram showing the case where the roll bar is installed on the bed (car body) of a truck, and FIG. 1B is a schematic diagram showing the case where the roll bar is installed on the deck (hull) of a ship. 1 is a perspective view showing a roll bar according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a state in which the detachable portion is removed from the roll bar of FIG. 2 . 3 is a cross-sectional view of the roll bar of FIG. 2 in a region G, taken along a plane parallel to the extension direction of the tubular member. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing the roll bar of FIG. 4 with a partition mechanism open. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the roll bar of FIG. 2 in the region H, taken along a plane parallel to the extension direction of the tubular member;

Below, we will explain the roll bar according to an embodiment of the present invention with reference to the drawings.

Figure 1 (A) is a schematic diagram showing how a roll bar 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention is installed and used on the bed C of a truck T. Also, Figure 1 (B) is a schematic diagram showing how a roll bar 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention is installed and used on the deck D of a ship M. As shown in Figure 1, the roll bar 1 according to this embodiment is used by being placed on the bed C of a truck T as a vehicle or on the deck D of a ship M, and a roof tent or a hood can be formed by covering the roll bar 1 placed on the bed C or deck D with a cover (not shown).

It is preferable to detachably fix the roll bar 1 to the vehicle using any fixing means (not shown) not only when the roll bar 1 is placed on the bed C of the truck T as shown in FIG. 1(A) but also when the roll bar 1 is installed inside a sports utility vehicle (SUV) or a minivan. Similarly, it is preferable to detachably fix the roll bar 1 to the ship using any fixing means (not shown) not only when the roll bar 1 is placed on the deck D of the ship M as shown in FIG. 1(B) but also when the roll bar 1 is installed inside the ship, such as in a cabin. As such a fixing means, various fixing means can be used, such as bolt fastening, fixing with a shackle, and fixing using a steel wire.

In the following description of the embodiment, the forward movement direction of the vehicle or ship is referred to as the front for the platform C, deck D and the roll bar 1 installed thereon, and the opposite direction is referred to as the rear, and when the driver is sitting in the driver's seat, the right side is referred to as the right, the left side is referred to as the left, the direction toward the driver's head is referred to as the up, and the direction toward the driver's feet is referred to as the down. For convenience, the front-rear, up-down, left-right directions are indicated by arrows in Figures 1 to 6.

Figure 2 is a perspective view showing a roll bar 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The roll bar 1 is a frame formed using hollow tubular members, and various shapes can be adopted depending on the type and shape of the vehicle or ship on which the roll bar 1 is placed, the method of placement (placed on a loading platform or deck, or placed inside the vehicle or ship), the purpose of use of the roll bar 1 (used as a roof tent that can also be used as a living space for people during outdoor leisure activities, or used as a hood for transporting luggage), etc. It is preferable that the roll bar 1 be made of steel pipes from the viewpoint of improving rigidity.

The roll bar 1 is comprised of a bar body 2, which is a frame consisting of a fixed part 20 that has a fixed shape and is placed on the loading platform C or deck D, and a detachable part 24 that is detachable from the fixed part 20, a ventilation mechanism 4 provided at the upper end of the roll bar 1, a partition mechanism 5 that divides the water storage space S (see Figures 3 to 5) inside the roll bar 1 so that it can be opened and closed, a filling and draining mechanism 3 that fills and drains water into the water storage space S inside the roll bar 1, and a heating mechanism 6 that heats the water in the water storage space S.

The stationary portion 20 comprises a left frame body 21 located on the left side of the vehicle or ship, a right frame body 22 located on the right side of the vehicle or ship, and a connecting frame body 23 that connects the left frame body 21 and the right frame body 22 at the upper end in front of the loading platform. A water storage space S (see Figures 3 to 5) capable of storing water is formed inside the left frame body 21, the right frame body 22, and the connecting frame body 23, and each water storage space S is connected to each other so as to be able to be opened and closed by a partition mechanism 5. Preferably, the left frame body 21 and the right frame body 22 each comprise a filling and draining mechanism 3 and a heating mechanism 6.

In the roll bar according to the present invention, when the amount of water stored in the water storage space S of each of the left and right frame bodies 21 and 22 increases and the water level reaches the connecting frame body 23, the water inside the left and right frame bodies 21 and 22 communicate through the water storage space S in the connecting frame body 23, and the water amounts become equal. However, if the water level in the left and right frame bodies 21 and 22 is low and does not reach the connecting frame body 23, the water storage amounts in the left and right frame bodies 21 and 22 become uneven, which may cause the weight balance of the vehicle or ship to become poor. Therefore, it is preferable to provide a water level confirmation mechanism 213 on both the left and right frame bodies 21 and 22, so that the water storage amounts can be made equal while visually checking each other. In addition, the water storage amounts of the left and right frame bodies 21 and 22 can be made equal by connecting the water filling and draining mechanism 3 on the left and right frame bodies 21 and 22 with a tubular member such as a hose via a joint or the like.

2, the water level confirmation mechanism 213 may be, for example, a vertically long window portion fitted with a transparent resin or the like provided in the tubular member 211, or a transparent cylindrical member formed along the tubular member 211 and communicating with the water storage space S. By providing such a water level confirmation mechanism 213, the amount of water stored in the water storage space S of the roll bar 1 can be visually confirmed, and the amount of water stored can be kept appropriate. Of course, a similar water level confirmation mechanism 213 can also be provided in the right frame body 22. Also, as described later, by connecting the ventilation mechanism 4 and the filling and draining mechanism 3 with a transparent or semi-transparent hose, the hose can be used as a simple water level confirmation mechanism.

Figure 3 is a perspective view showing the state in which the detachable part is removed from the roll bar 1 of Figure 2. The detachable part 24 is a tubular member that is detachably attached to the upper rear end of the constant part 20, and in this embodiment is formed using the same type of tubular member as the tubular member that constitutes the constant part 20. The detachable part 24 can be detachably attached to the constant part 20 using any means.

For example, as shown in Figures 2 and 3, pin holes 28 may be provided in the left frame body 21 and the right frame body 22 at the attachment location of the detachable part 24, and pin holes 241 may be provided at both longitudinal ends of the detachable part 24, and the detachable part 24 may be detachably fixed by inserting pins 27 into these pin holes 28, 241. Because the detachable part 24 is detachable, when loading large luggage such as a motorcycle on the loading platform C, the luggage can be easily loaded into the loading space L in the roll bar 1. The same applies when loading large luggage on the deck D.

In this embodiment, the water storage space S of the left frame body 21 and the right frame body 22 is blocked by a blocking member 25 near the fixed location of the detachable part 24, so that water is not stored beyond the blocked location (on the detachable part 24 side). The blocking member 25 is, for example, a plate-like member that is fixed by welding or the like to the internal space (water storage space S) of the tubular member that constitutes the roll bar 1 to block it. By providing the blocking member 25 in this manner, it is possible to appropriately prevent the stored water from moving or rippling due to the rolling of the vehicle or ship body. However, in the present invention, it is optional to provide a valve instead of the blocking member 25 so that water can also be stored on the detachable part 24 side depending on the implementation.

The ventilation mechanism 4 is an openable/closable vent hole, and is provided at the upper end of the connecting frame body 23 constituting the roll bar 1, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the openable/closable ventilation mechanism 4 is preferably configured as a single pipe embedded in the connecting frame body 23, with the vent hole opening downward, and the opening can be opened and closed by any means such as a lid or a vent valve. With this configuration, there is no need to provide protrusions or openings on the upper surface of the connecting frame body 23, so it is possible to place panels made of polycarbonate or the like on the connecting frame body 23, the left frame body 21, and the right frame body 22 to protect them from rain and wind, and it is also possible to connect the vent hole and the filling and draining mechanism 3 with a transparent or semi-transparent hose to form a simple water level confirmation mechanism.

The ventilation mechanism 4 can also be realized by any means, such as a ventilation hole formed in the connecting frame body 23 and a ventilation valve provided in the ventilation hole.

In any case, by providing the ventilation mechanism 4 at the upper end of the connecting frame body 23, which is the upper end of the roll bar 1, air can be smoothly drawn into and exhausted from the water storage space S inside the roll bar 1 when storing water in the water storage space S or draining water from the water storage space S, making it possible to store and drain water smoothly. In addition, providing the ventilation mechanism 4 at the topmost part of the water storage space S has the advantage that water is less likely to leak from the ventilation mechanism 4.

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of region G of the roll bar 1 in Figure 2, taken along a plane parallel to the extension direction of the tubular member 211. As shown in Figure 4, the left frame 21 (and similarly the right frame 22) of the roll bar 1 is provided with partition mechanisms 5 that partition the water storage space S in an openable and closable manner, one each at the front and rear lower end portions (5A, 5B) and one at the upper front portion (5C).

The partition mechanism 5 (5A, 5B, 5C) is configured with a spindle valve 51, an insertion tube portion 52 into which the spindle valve 51 is inserted, and a node portion 53 formed inside the tubular member 211.

The spindle valve 51 is composed of a cylindrical main body 511, a screw thread 512 formed around one end of the main body 511 (the side facing upward in the paper of Figures 4 and 5), and a spherical tip 514 formed on the other end of the main body 511 (the side facing downward in the paper of Figures 4 and 5).

A circumferential groove 516 is formed along the circumferential direction on the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical main body 511. Two circumferential grooves 516 are formed, spaced apart from each other at the top and bottom, and an O-ring 515 is fitted into each of the circumferential grooves as a sealing member.

In addition, a flat-head shaped tool hole 513 for fitting a flat-head screwdriver is formed at the upper end of the main body 511. Note that the shape of the tool hole 513 is not limited to a flat-head shape, and may be a Phillips shape for a Phillips screwdriver.

A screw thread 512 is formed around the body portion 511, located above the circumferential groove portion 516 and below the tool hole 513. The screw thread 512 can be screwed into a screw groove 521 of the insertion tube portion 52, which will be described later.

The spherical tip portion 514 is a spherical structure provided contiguous to the lower end of the main body portion 511, and is capable of sealing the communication hole 532 by being in close contact with the spherical recess 531 of the node portion 53, as described below.

The insertion tube portion 52 is a cylindrical structure formed diagonally downward from the peripheral wall of the tubular member 211, and the upper end side forms an open end portion O into which a tool such as a flathead screwdriver can be inserted to rotate the spindle valve 51.

A thread groove 521 is formed on the inner peripheral surface of the insertion tube portion 52, which can be screwed into the thread 512 of the spindle valve 51. By rotating the spindle valve 51 with a tool such as a flathead screwdriver, the spindle valve 51 can be moved in the insertion direction and removal direction within the insertion tube portion 52.

A portion of the lower end of the insertion tube portion 52 is fixed to the joint portion 53 by welding or the like, and the other portion is spaced apart from the joint portion 53, forming a gap 522 through which water can pass.

The joints 53 are provided perpendicular to the extension direction of the tubular member 211 and serve as joints that divide the water storage space S inside the tubular member 211. The joints 53 are formed, for example, by fixing a substantially disk-shaped member to the inside of the tubular member 211 by welding or gluing.

The joint 53 has a communication hole 532 through which the water in the water storage space S can pass. In addition, a spherical recess 531 is formed on the upper surface side of the joint 53 around the communication hole 532. The spherical recess 531 has a shape complementary to the spherical tip 514 of the spindle valve 51 and can be in close contact with it.

By using the above-mentioned partition mechanism 5, the water storage space S can be partitioned so that it can be opened and closed. To close the partition mechanism 5, as shown in FIG. 4, the spindle valve 51 is rotated right with a tool such as a flathead screwdriver, and the spindle valve 51 is screwed into the insertion tube portion 52, so that the spherical tip portion 514 is brought into close contact with the spherical recess 531 of the node portion 53, and the communication hole 532 is closed. This closes the partition mechanism 5, and the water storage spaces S above and below the node portion 53 are isolated from each other, with no water passing between them. This configuration can appropriately prevent the stored water from moving or rippling due to the rocking of the vehicle or ship body.

Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view showing the roll bar 1 of Figure 4 with the partition mechanism 5 open. When opening the partition mechanism 5, the spindle valve 51 is rotated left with a tool such as a flathead screwdriver as shown in Figure 5, the spindle valve 51 is screwed back within the insertion tube portion 52, and the spherical tip portion 514 and the spherical recessed portion 531 are released from their tight contact and separated from each other, opening the communication hole 532. The water storage spaces S above and below the joint portion 53 are then connected through the opened communication hole 532 and the gap 522 formed on the lower end side of the insertion tube portion 52, allowing the water in both water storage spaces S to move between each other.

In addition, in the partition mechanism 5, by further retracting the spindle valve 51 from the state shown in FIG. 5 and completely removing the spindle valve 51 from the insertion tube portion 52, the water storage space S becomes connected to the outside through the insertion tube portion 52. By achieving this state, it becomes possible to use the insertion tube portion 52 as a water inlet and a water outlet. Of course, the removed spindle valve 51 can be screwed back into the insertion tube portion 52 using a tool.

Figure 6 is a vertical cross-sectional view of region H of the roll bar 1 in Figure 2, cut along the longitudinal direction of the tubular member 211. The left and right frame bodies 21 and 22 of the roll bar 1 are provided at the front lower end portions with a water filling and draining mechanism 3 for filling and draining water into and from the water storage space S in the roll bar 1, and a heating mechanism 6 for heating the water in the water storage space S.

The filling and draining mechanism 3 is a tubular flow path that communicates with the water storage space S inside the tubular member 211, and allows water to be filled into the water storage space S and drained from the water storage space S via an openable and closable valve (not shown).

The heating mechanism 6 is configured with an annular flow passage 60 that runs between the inside of the tubular member 211 and a heat source (not shown) such as a heater or engine provided on the vehicle body or ship body, and a heat source fluid (not shown) that circulates within the annular flow passage 60 and is heated by the heat source.

The annular flow passage 60 is configured with an outlet 61 for discharging the heat source fluid to the heat source on the vehicle side or the hull side, an inlet 62 for returning the heat source fluid heated by the heat source into the annular flow passage 60, and a loop portion 63 connecting the outlet 61 and the inlet 62. As the heat source fluid heated by the heat source circulates within this loop portion 63, heat is conducted to the water in the water storage space S around the loop portion 63, and the water can be heated.

A variety of liquids with excellent heat storage and handling properties can be used as the heat source fluid. In addition to water, which has excellent heat storage properties and is safe to handle, various oils and emulsions of water and paraffin, etc. may also be used.

According to the roll bar according to the embodiment described above, even if the roll bar is installed on a vehicle or ship to form a roof tent or a hood that can be used as a storage space for goods as well as a living space for people during outdoor leisure activities, water can be stored inside the roll bar, so it is possible to omit a water tank for storing water among the goods to be placed on the vehicle. This allows the space inside the vehicle or on or inside the ship to be used more effectively.

In addition, in the above-described embodiment, the filling and draining mechanism 3 and the heating mechanism 6 are provided in both the left frame body 21 and the right frame body 22, but by making the water storage spaces S of the left frame body 21 and the right frame body 22 non-communicating and operating only one of the heating mechanisms 6 of the left frame body 21 and the right frame body 22, it becomes possible to store both hot water and cold water.

For example, if hot water is stored in the left frame body 21 and cold water is stored in the right frame body 22, hot water can be discharged from the filling and draining mechanism 3 provided in the left frame body 21 and cold water can be discharged from the filling and draining mechanism 3 provided in the right frame body 22, which is more convenient.

It is also possible to store both hot and cold water by providing a heating mechanism 6 only in one of the left frame body 21 and the right frame body 22.

The water storage spaces S of the left frame body 21 and the right frame body 22 can be made non-communicating by, for example, opening all the partition mechanisms 5 and adjusting the amount of water stored in the left frame body 21 and the right frame body 22 so that the water level is below the connecting frame body 23.

Alternatively, by closing the partition mechanism 5C located at the front and upper part of the left frame body 21 and the right frame body 22, the water level in the left frame body 21 and the right frame body 22 will not reach above the partition mechanism 5C, which also makes it possible to make the water storage spaces S of the left frame body 21 and the right frame body 22 non-communicating.

Of course, depending on the user's needs, it is also possible to heat the water in both the left frame body 21 and the right frame body 22 to make it hot water, or to leave it unheated as cold water.

In addition, in the above-mentioned embodiment, the filling and draining mechanism 3 on the front lower side of the left frame body 21 and the right frame body 22 allows filling and draining of each water storage space S, and the insertion tube portion 52 can also be used as a filling and draining port by completely removing the spindle valve 51 of the partition mechanism 5 from the insertion tube portion 52. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the filling and draining mechanism 3 may be provided in any location, in any orientation, and in any number. For example, in the above-mentioned embodiment, the filling and draining mechanism 3 is provided only on the front lower side of the left frame body 21 and the right frame body 22, facing forward, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the filling and draining mechanism 3 may also be provided on the rear lower side, or only on the rear lower side, facing backward. This makes it possible to fill and drain in a way that is more suited to the user's needs.

In addition, in the present invention, the partition mechanism 5 can be provided in any number and at any location. This makes it possible to appropriately adjust the state of water storage in the roll bar 1 (water storage position and water storage amount, especially the amount of hot water and cold water) to suit the needs of the user. Furthermore, by closing the partition mechanism 5 after water filling is complete, it becomes possible to effectively prevent water from moving within the roll bar 1, disrupting the weight balance of the vehicle or ship, and water from leaking.

The present invention is not limited to the roll bar 1 according to the embodiment described above, and various modifications other than those described above can be adopted.

For example, the frame shape of the roll bar 1 is not limited to the shape shown in FIG. 2 or FIG. 3, and can be any shape. The installation location of the roll bar 1 is also not limited to the bed C of a truck T or the deck D of a ship. For example, the roll bar 1 according to the present invention may be installed inside a minivan or SUV used for outdoor leisure or off-road driving, not for the purpose of installing a hood or roof tent, but for the purpose of improving the rigidity of the vehicle body. It may also be installed in an interior space of a ship, such as the cabin of a ship, to achieve both improved rigidity and water storage.

In addition, in the above-described embodiment, the attachment/detachment portion 24 of the roll bar 1 is provided at the rear upper end, which is convenient because it makes it easier to load luggage when placing the roll bar 1 on the bed C of the truck T or the deck D of the ship M, but in the present invention, the installation location and number of the attachment/detachment portion 24 are optional and are not limited to this embodiment.

For example, in the case of a minivan that travels off-road, a roll bar 1 is installed inside the minivan to improve the rigidity of the vehicle body, and a detachable portion 24 is provided in a position facing the sliding doors on the left and right sides of the vehicle body, making it possible to store water inside the roll bar 1 while improving the rigidity of the vehicle body and making it easier to load luggage.

1: Roll bar 2: Bar body 3: Inlet/outlet mechanism 4: Ventilation mechanism 5, 5A, 5B, 5C: Partition mechanism 6: Heating mechanism 20: Stationary section 21: Left side frame 22: Right side frame 23: Connecting frame 24: Detachable section 27: Pin 28: Pin hole 51: Spindle valve 52: Insertion tube section 53: Joint section 60: Annular flow path 61: Outlet 62: Inlet 63: Loop section 211: Tubular member 213: Water level confirmation mechanism 241: Pin hole 511: Main body section 512: Thread 513: Tool hole 514: Spherical tip section 515: O-ring 516: Circumferential groove section 521: Thread groove 522: Gap 531: Spherical recess 532: Communication hole C: Cargo platform D: Deck M: Ship O: Open end S: Water storage space T: Truck

Claims (5)

A roll bar comprising a bar body, which is a frame that can be placed on a vehicle or ship body and is made of a tubular member with a water storage space formed therein, and a filling and draining mechanism and a ventilation mechanism that are provided in communication with the water storage space. The roll bar according to claim 1, wherein the bar body has a partition mechanism that divides the water storage space in an openable and closable manner. The roll bar according to claim 1, which has a heating mechanism for heating the water stored in the water storage space. The roll bar according to claim 1, which has a water level confirmation mechanism that allows visual confirmation of the water level in the water storage space. The roll bar according to claim 1, wherein the bar body has a fixed part that has a fixed shape and is placed on the vehicle body or the ship body, and a detachable part that is detachable from the fixed part, and the frame body is formed by the fixed part and the detachable part.

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