JPH08177345A - Universal joint - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To provide a universal joint that is surely rotatable up to the direction of 90 degrees as inserting a cord through. CONSTITUTION: A first shaft 9 is rotatably connected to a connector 17 at first turning fulcrums 12 and 18a, while a second shaft 5 is rotatably connected to the connector 17 at second fulcrums 13 and 18c as well, and the first shaft 9 and the second shaft 5 are made of their rotational direction to the connector 17 to be a direction orthogonal with each other, whereby the second shaft 5 is made to be rotatable to the first shaft 9 in the optional direction, and a cord 6 is inserted into the second shaft 5 from the first shaft 9 via the connector, and thus a universal joint is constituted. In this connection, the first turning fulcrums 12 and 18a and the second turning fulcrums 13 and 18c are all offset in the axial direction of both the first and second shafts 9 and 5.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a universal joint used for a lateral blind slat driving device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art One type of horizontal blind is shown in FIGS. A large number of slats 3 are suspended from the head box 1 via ladder cords 2,
The lower end of the ladder cord 2 is connected to the bottom rail 4 located at the bottom of the slat 3.

An operating rod 5 is provided on one side of the head box 1.
When the slat 3 is hung down and the operating rod 5 is rotated, the slat 3 can be adjusted in the same phase through the slat angle adjusting device built in the head box 1 and the ladder cord 2.

A lifting cord 6 is passed through each of the slats 3, and one end of the lifting cord 6 is connected to the bottom rail 4. The other end of the lifting cord 6 is the head box 1
It is inserted through the inside of the operation rod 5 and is connected to the cord equalizer 7 located at the lower end of the operation rod 5.

Therefore, if the cord equalizer 7 is pulled downward and the lifting cord 6 is pulled out from the head box 1,
The bottom rail 4 is pulled up and the slat 3 is pulled up. If the lifting cord 6 is pulled into the head box 1 using the weights of the slats 3 and the bottom rails 4, the bottom rails 4 are lowered and the slats 3 are lowered.

A stopper device (not shown) is provided in the head box 1 to prevent the slats 3 and the bottom rail 4 from descending due to their own weight after the elevating cord 6 is operated to elevate and lower the slat 3 to a desired position. Is provided.

The upper end of the operating rod 5 is connected to an input shaft 9 via a universal joint 8. The input shaft 9 is an input shaft of a gear box arranged in the head box 1, and when the input shaft 9 is rotated, an angle adjusting shaft rotatably supported in the head box 1 serves as a gear box. It is rotationally driven via.

Then, based on the rotation of the angle adjusting shaft, the respective slats 3 are angularly adjusted in the same phase via the ladder cord 2. The structure of the universal joint 8 is shown in FIG.
In the following description, the input shaft 9 is formed of a synthetic resin round pipe, has a through hole 9a at the center, and a bifurcated connecting piece 10 is formed at the lower end thereof in line symmetry. The operation rod 5 is composed of a synthetic resin hexagonal pipe,
It has an insertion hole 5a in the center and its upper part is formed as a round pipe. Further, a connecting piece 11 having the same shape as the connecting piece 10 is formed on the upper end of the round pipe in line symmetry.

A connecting hole 12 is formed at the tip of the connecting piece 10, and a connecting hole 13 is formed at the tip of the connecting piece 11. A connecting tool 14 for connecting the operating rod 5 and the input shaft 9 is made of synthetic resin in an annular shape, and four engaging shafts 1 projecting in four directions are formed on the outer peripheral surface thereof.
5 is formed.

The engaging shaft 15 of the connecting tool 14 is fitted into the connecting holes 12 and 13 formed in the connecting pieces 10 and 11, and the operating rod 5 and the input shaft 9 are rotatably connected. , The insertion hole 9a of the input shaft 9, the connector 14 and the insertion hole 5 of the operation rod 5
The elevating cord 6 is inserted in a.

With this structure, the operating rod 5 can be rotated in any direction with respect to the input shaft 9. By operating the cord equalizer 7, the lifting cord 6 is pulled out from the operating rod 5 or inside the operating rod 5. It will be possible to pull in.

[0012]

The horizontal blind as described above has the slats 3 and the bottom rails 4 at the time of shipment.
Are pulled up to the maximum and are stacked in a state of being stacked along the head box 1. At this time, the operating rod 5 is connected to the head box 1 by the universal joint 8 9
It is folded at 0 degrees and stored.

However, when the operating rod 5 is bent 90 degrees, one of the connecting pieces 10 closes the opening of the insertion hole 5a of the operating rod 5 when the connecting tool 14 is not rotated as shown in FIG. Like Further, as shown in FIG. 9, when the connecting tool 14 is rotated, one of the connecting pieces 11 closes the opening of the insertion hole 9 a of the input shaft 9.

Then, the elevating cord 6 guided to the connecting tool 14 through the insertion hole 5a or the insertion hole 9a becomes in a cramped state, which may hinder the rotation of the operation rod 5. An object of the present invention is to provide a universal joint that can be reliably rotated up to 90 degrees while inserting a cord.

[0015]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, a first shaft is rotatably connected to a connecting tool at a first rotation fulcrum, and a second shaft is connected to the connecting tool. The first shaft and the second shaft are rotatably connected to each other at two rotation fulcrums, and the rotation directions of the first shaft and the second shaft are orthogonal to each other. Is rotatable in an arbitrary direction, and a cord is inserted from the first shaft to the second shaft via a connector to form a universal joint. The first rotation fulcrum and the second rotation fulcrum are offset in the axial direction of the first and second shafts.

According to a second aspect of the invention, the first shaft has:
A pair of connecting pieces formed in line symmetry are formed and a first rotation fulcrum is provided on the connecting piece, and a pair of connecting pieces formed in line symmetry is provided on the second shaft. A second rotation fulcrum is formed on the connection piece, the connection tool is formed of a pipe, and the first and second rotation fulcrums provided on the connection tool in pairs are the shafts of the connection tool. A cord guide portion that is offset in the axial direction and that guides the cord into the connector is provided between the first rotation fulcrums and between the second rotation fulcrums.

According to the third aspect of the invention, the first and second rotation fulcrums are composed of a connecting hole and a connecting shaft fitted in the connecting hole.

[0018]

The space between the first and second shafts and the connector is enlarged, and the cord is inserted into the space, so that the first and second shafts can be easily rotated.

[0019]

EXAMPLE A universal joint 16 shown in FIG.
It is used for the horizontal blind shown in FIG. 5, and includes an input shaft 9, an operating rod 5, and a lifting cord 6 inserted through these.
Is the same as the conventional example.

The connecting member 17 which constitutes the universal joint 16 is formed of a synthetic resin round pipe, and has an engaging shaft 18a, which is axisymmetrically projected to both sides on one end of the outer peripheral surface thereof.
18b is formed. Engagement shafts 18c and 18d are formed on the outer peripheral surface of the other end of the connecting member 17 so as to project in a line-symmetrical manner on both sides.
It is formed in a direction orthogonal to the center lines of 8a and 18b. Therefore, the engagement shafts 18a to 18d have a predetermined offset length L in the direction of the central axis of the connector 17, as shown in FIG.
And is formed so as to project from the outer peripheral surface in all directions.

The connecting member 17 has engaging shafts 18a, 18
A cord guide portion 19 is formed by cutting out between b and between the engaging shafts 18c and 18d in a semi-circular shape. The connecting piece 1
The engaging shafts 18a and 18b of the connecting member 17 are fitted in the connecting hole 12 formed in 0, and the engaging shaft 18c of the connecting member 17 is inserted in the connecting hole 13 formed in the connecting piece 11. ，
18d is fitted.

The engagement shafts 18a to 18d are connected to the connector 17
Since chamfers 20 are formed on the end side of
When the engaging shafts 18a and 18b are applied to the tip ends of the connecting pieces 10 and pressed between the connecting pieces 10, the elasticity of the connecting pieces 10 expands the connecting pieces 10.

The engaging shafts 18a and 18b are connected to the connecting hole 1
When reaching the 2 position, the engaging shafts 18a and 18b are connected to the connecting hole 1
Fit to 2. The engagement shafts 18c and 18d are also fitted in the connection holes 13 in the same manner. Therefore, the input shaft 9 and the operating rod 5 are
It is easily connected via the connecting tool 17. The input shaft 9,
The lifting cord 6 is inserted through the connector 17 and the operating rod 5.

In the normal use, the universal joint 16 constructed as described above can be rotated while rotating the operating rod 5 with respect to the input shaft 9 as in the prior art example, and the code equalizer 7 is used. By the operation of, the lifting cord 6 moves in the universal joint 16.

As shown in FIG. 3, when the operating rod 5 is rotated by 90 degrees with respect to the input shaft 9, the engaging shafts 18a to 18a of the connector 17 are rotated.
Since 18d is offset, the connecting piece 10 of the input shaft 9 does not block the insertion hole 5a of the operating rod 5. Then, a sufficient space for guiding the elevating cord 6 is secured from the insertion hole 5a to the insertion hole 9a of the input shaft 9 through the cord guide portion 19 of the connection device 17.

Further, as shown in FIG. 4, when the operating rod 5 is rotated 90 degrees with respect to the input shaft 9, the operating rod 5 is similarly moved.
The connecting piece 11 does not block the insertion hole 9a of the input shaft 9. Then, the lifting cord 6 is passed from the insertion hole 5a to the insertion hole 9a of the input shaft 9 through the cord guide portion 19 of the connector 17.
Enough space is secured to guide passengers.

As described above, in the universal joint 16, the engaging shaft 18 fitted in the connecting hole 12 of the input shaft 9 is provided.
The offset length L is provided between a and 18b and the engaging shafts 18c and 18d that engage with the connecting hole 13 of the operating rod 5, and the code guide is provided between the engaging shafts 18a and 18b and between the engaging shafts 18c and 18d. By providing the portion 19, even if the operating rod 5 is rotated 90 degrees with respect to the input shaft 9, the guide path of the lifting cord 6 does not become cramped.

Therefore, the operating rod 5 can be easily rotated in the direction along the head box 1 during packaging of the horizontal blind. In addition, in the above-described embodiment, the coupling tool 17 is provided with the engagement shafts 18a to 18d, and the coupling pieces 10 and 11 are coupled with the coupling hole 1.
Although 2 and 13 are provided, the connecting tool may be provided with a connecting hole and the connecting piece may be provided with an engaging shaft.

If the offset length L is sufficiently secured, it is not necessary to provide the cord guide portion 19. The technical ideas other than the claims that can be understood from the above embodiments will be described below along with their effects.

(1) The universal joint according to any one of claims 1 to 3 is interposed between the input shaft of the gear box protruding from the head box of the horizontal blind and the operating rod. The operating rod can be reliably rotated up to the direction along the head box.

[0031]

As described above in detail, the present invention can provide a universal joint which can be reliably rotated up to 90 degrees while inserting a cord.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a universal joint.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a universal joint.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a universal joint rotated by 90 degrees.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a universal joint rotated by 90 degrees.

FIG. 5 is a front view of a horizontal blind.

FIG. 6 is a side view of a horizontal blind.

FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of a conventional universal joint.

8 is a sectional view of the universal joint of FIG. 7 rotated.

9 is a sectional view of the universal joint of FIG. 7 rotated.

[Explanation of symbols]

5 2nd axis | shaft (operation rod) 6 code | cord (elevation code) 9 1st axis | shaft (input shaft) 12, 18a, 18b 1st rotation fulcrum (connection hole, engagement shaft) 13, 18c, 18d 2nd Fulcrum of rotation (connecting hole, engaging shaft) 17 Connecting tool

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A first shaft is rotatably connected to a connector at a first rotation fulcrum, and a second shaft is rotatably connected to the connector at a second rotation fulcrum. Then, the first shaft and the second shaft are rotatable with respect to the connecting tool in directions orthogonal to each other, and the second shaft is rotatable in an arbitrary direction with respect to the first shaft. In a universal joint in which a cord is inserted from a shaft to a second shaft via a connector, the first rotation fulcrum and the second rotation fulcrum are offset in the axial direction of the first and second shafts. A universal joint that is characterized. 2. A pair of connecting pieces formed in line symmetry are formed on the first shaft, and a first rotation fulcrum is provided on the connecting pieces, and a line is formed on the second shaft. A pair of symmetrically formed connecting pieces is formed, and a second rotation fulcrum is provided on the connecting piece, the connecting tool is formed of a pipe, and the connecting tool is provided with a pair of first and second connecting pieces. The rotation fulcrum is offset in the axial direction of the connector, and a cord guide portion for guiding the cord into the connector is provided between the first rotation fulcrums and between the second rotation fulcrums. The universal joint according to claim 1, which is characterized in that. 3. The universal joint according to claim 2, wherein the first and second rotation fulcrums are composed of a connection hole and a connection shaft fitted in the connection hole.