KR102267115B1 - Caster device for furniture - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a caster device which acts as a wheel to roll smoothly without effort when moving furniture such as desks and chairs, and to be stably fixed when in use. The present invention implements the cater device which can roll smoothly while selectively maintaining a free state capable of vertical movement on a frame side of the furniture or a fixed state in a lowered position, and can roll while remaining the fixed state even when a load is applied, thereby being able to escape from the effects of load during use and increasing durability, functionality, and operability. The caster device can be fixed as a structure in close contact with the floor when in use, such that additional parts such as a stopper device are not required, thereby simplifying the structure and reducing manufacturing costs. The caster device can promote convenience of use by being easily moved even when heavy objects are placed thereon.

Description

Caster device for furniture

The present invention relates to a caster device for furniture, and more particularly, to a caster device serving as a wheel that allows furniture such as a desk or chair to roll smoothly without effort when moving it, and to stably fix it when buying.

In general, a desk is composed of a top plate for work or learning, a drawer frame having a storage space for storing belongings or books, and a support frame for supporting the drawer frame from the floor, and the chair includes a seat panel on which the user sits and , a support frame to support the seat panel at a certain height, and a backrest panel installed at an end extending from the support frame to one side so that the user can lean on his or her back.

Chairs and tables, which are usually used in schools, libraries, academies, and offices, are bulky and heavy, so it is difficult to move seats for cleaning, etc.

For this reason, most of them are moved by dragging them on the floor, so a lot of noise is generated and desks or chairs are often worn or damaged by friction.

For example, when moving a desk or chair, the bottom surface of the leg directly contacts the floor, and thus noise is generated due to the contact between the bottom surface of the leg and the floor when moving with the leg in contact with the floor.

Considering the characteristics of the place where the desk or chair is used, such noise acts as a serious stress to others. In addition, there is a high risk of scratching and damaging the floor, that is, the surface of the floor, that is, the home or office floor by friction with the leg have.

In addition, not only desks and chairs, but also furniture such as tables are not often moved, but when moving to re-arrange furniture, they are very heavy, so if the bottom surface of the legs is dragged to the floor during the movement, the legs of the furniture may be damaged or twisted. there is a problem.

Accordingly, in recent years, a number of products having casters mounted on legs of tables and chairs as well as desks and chairs are being released.

In the case of a product equipped with such a caster device, it takes less force to move, there is no fear of noise or damage, and it has the advantage of being able to erase the fear of scratching the floor.

However, in the case of a conventional caster device mounted on furniture such as a desk or chair, a load is applied to parts such as a bearing or a shaft during use, so durability and functionality are deteriorated, and in severe cases, it leads to malfunction.

In addition, there are disadvantages in terms of structural and manufacturability, such as the need to additionally mount a separate stopper device, etc. to fix it in one place, and there is a disadvantage in that the manufacturing cost is increased.

In order to solve these shortcomings, the present inventor has proposed a "caster device for desks and chairs" of Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2077267, and the present invention is a caster for furniture that further improves the structure and functions of these "casters for desks and chairs" The device is the subject of the design.

JP 08216605 A JP 20100030573 A US 101504241 B1 US 200324952 Y1 US 2019990014935 U

Accordingly, the present invention has been devised in view of such a point, and it is possible to roll smoothly while selectively maintaining the free state in which the upward and downward movement is possible on the frame side of the furniture or the fixed state in the descending position, and the load is applied. By implementing a new type of caster device that can roll while maintaining a fixed state in the Because it can be fixed in a close-fitting structure, it is possible to simplify the structure and reduce manufacturing costs, such as eliminating the need for additional parts such as a stopper device, and promote ease of use, such as being able to easily move it even when heavy objects are placed on it An object of the present invention is to provide a caster device for furniture.

In order to achieve the above object, the caster device for furniture provided in the present invention has the following characteristics.

The caster device for furniture includes a caster block inserted and installed into the frame while having a slide space and a guide groove on the inner wall, and a guide protrusion on the side that is inserted into the guide groove of the caster block and guided along the guide groove. It has an upper caster slider having an inclined surface and a flat surface and installed inside the slide space to enable ascending and descending movements, and an upper caster slider having an inclined surface and a flat surface in contact with the inclined surface and the flat surface of the upper caster slider, and at the same time vertically vertically A lower caster slider having a central axis of rotation fitted while penetrating and installed inside the slide space to enable ascending, descending, and rotational movement, and a lower caster slider coupled to the lower end of the lower caster slider to ascend and descend together with the lower caster slider, and rotate It is characterized in that it includes a caster capable of doing this, and a spring installed inside the upper caster slider to always elastically support the upper caster slider downward.

The caster device for furniture is installed at the end of the frame into which the caster block is inserted, and is a means for closing the caster block. It has a frame groove into which the frame end is inserted on the inner side, and is in close contact with the floor when the caster is raised to control the movement of the furniture. It may further include a caster cap for fixing.

Here, a stopper plate may be installed on the upper surface of the caster block to have a central shaft hole through which the rotational central shaft passes, to support the upper end of the spring and at the same time to regulate the lift limit of the upper caster slider.

In addition, a tool insertion groove into which a tool for rotating the lower caster slider can be inserted may be formed in the central axis of rotation of the lower caster slider.

As a preferred embodiment, a positioning jaw for determining an insertion position of the caster block while being caught on the end of the frame may be formed on the lower surface of the outer end of the caster block.

The caster device for furniture provided in the present invention has the following effects.

First, by applying a caster device with a structure that can maintain the caster up and down positions depending on whether there is a load on the frame side of furniture such as desks or chairs, the caster can roll smoothly while maintaining the lowered state when moving. It has the effect of improving the durability, functionality, and operability of furniture without being affected by the load, such as maintaining the caster elevation and allowing the frame side to be closely supported on the floor.

Second, in the case of use, the furniture frame acts as a stopper while closely adhering to the floor, so that additional parts such as a separate stopper device can be excluded as in the past, thereby simplifying the structure and reducing the manufacturing cost. there is

Third, in the case of use, by applying a structure that can maintain the lowered state of the caster with only a simple operation, there is an effect of improving the convenience of use, such as being able to move the desk and chair smoothly even while in use.

Fourth, by applying a structure in which the upper and lower caster sliders, casters, and caster blocks are manufactured in the form of one assembly and assembled in a sliding manner on the frame side, when the caster fails, the assembly including the caster is replaced with a new one. It has an advantageous effect in terms of economics compared to disposing of the entire caster or the entire furniture as before, such as being able to easily replace the caster.

Fifth, in the case of a caster cap that is installed on the frame side and can be closely attached to the floor, it is installed in a structure that is inserted into the frame while finishing the caster assembly, so it is easy to install and replace, and maintenance and management such as no need for a separate finishing member Not only is it easy to use, but it also has the effect of reducing the number of parts and simplifying the structure.

Sixth, since the caster block can be manufactured by injection or extrusion method, press method, etc., it is easy to manufacture and has the effect of reducing manufacturing cost.

1 and 2 are perspective views showing a caster device for furniture according to an embodiment of the present invention;
3 is a cross-sectional view showing a caster device for furniture according to an embodiment of the present invention;
4 and 5 are cross-sectional views illustrating a use state of a caster device for furniture according to an embodiment of the present invention;

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 and 2 are perspective views illustrating a caster device for furniture according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a caster device for furniture according to an embodiment of the present invention.

1 to 3 , the caster device for furniture includes a caster block 13 installed on a frame 12 of furniture, for example, a leg frame of a chair.

The caster block 13 is in the form of a square block, and a circular slide space 10 is vertically formed at the inner end, and the center of the bottom of the slide space 10 at this time is a caster through which the axis of the caster 20 passes. A shaft through hole 28 is formed.

In addition, on the inner wall of the slide space 10 of the caster block 13, guide grooves 11 parallel to each other in the vertical direction, for example, a pair of guide grooves 11 spaced apart at intervals of 180° are formed. The guide protrusion 14 on the upper caster slider 17 can be fitted into the formed guide groove 11 .

The caster block 13 is installed in a structure to be inserted into the frame 12 in a manner that is fitted from the end of the frame.

In particular, a positioning jaw 27 is formed on the lower surface of the outer end of the caster block 13, and the positioning jaw 27 at this time serves to determine an accurate insertion position of the caster block 13. do.

For example, when the caster block 13 is inserted into the frame 12, the caster block 13 until the positioning jaw 27 in the caster block 13 is caught at the end of the frame 12. ), the caster block 13 is positioned at the correct position (for example, the caster shaft through-hole 28 and the lower frame hole 29 are aligned at the bottom, and the lower caster slide 19 is rotated at the top. The central axis 18 and the upper frame hole 30 coincide with each other] so that it can be installed in the correct position.

As a preferred embodiment, in the case of the caster block 13, it may be manufactured by injection, extrusion, press, etc., and thus, it is possible to not only have excellent manufacturability but also to reduce manufacturing cost.

In addition, the caster device for furniture includes an upper caster slider 17 and a lower caster slider 19 as means for supporting the caster 20 while moving up and down together with the caster 20 .

The upper caster slider 17 and the lower caster slider 19 have a cylindrical block shape having approximately the same diameter, and the lower surface of the upper caster slider 17 and the upper surface of the lower caster slider 19 have inclined surfaces 15a that can be in close contact with each other. , 15b) and planes 16a and 16b are respectively formed.

Accordingly, the upper caster slider 17 and the lower caster slider 19 move up and down together with the inclined surfaces 15a and 15b and the flat surfaces 16a and 16b facing each other while raising and lowering the casters 20. While allowing the operation to occur, after the lower caster slider 19 is rotated by about 180°, the flat surface 16b at the end of the inclined surface 16b on the lower caster slider 19 moves to the upper caster slider 17 . In a state in which the upper and lower caster sliders 17 and 19 are fixed in a state in contact with the plane 16a at the end of the inclined surface 16a, the lowered state of the caster 20 can be maintained.

The upper caster slider 17 and the lower caster slider 19 are positioned in the slide space 10 formed in the caster block 13 and supported by the spring 21 upwards and the casters 20 downwards. ) can be installed in a structure supported by

A pair of guide protrusions 14 are protruded from both side surfaces of the upper caster slider 17 , and the guide protrusions 14 are a pair of guides formed on both inner walls of the slide space 10 . It is fitted into the groove 11 in a slidable structure.

Accordingly, the upper caster slider 17 can be guided when ascending or descending by the slide guiding action between the guide protrusion 14 and the guide groove 11 .

In particular, the central axis of rotation 18 is vertically formed in the center of the lower caster slider 19, and the central axis of rotation 18 at this time vertically penetrates the center of the upper caster slider 17, and eventually the upper caster slider. (17) and the lower caster slider (19) form a coaxial structure via the central axis of rotation (18) and can be stacked up and down.

Accordingly, the lower caster slider 19 can perform an accurate rotational movement about the central axis of rotation 18 fitted to the upper caster slider 17 .

In addition, a spring seating groove 31 is formed in the center of the upper caster slider 17 to a certain depth from the top to the bottom, and the spring 21 is inserted and installed in the spring seating groove 31 formed in this way. can become

As a preferred embodiment, the central axis of rotation 18 formed in the lower caster slider 19 moves upward through the central axis hole 24 of the stopper plate 25 and the upper frame hole 29 of the frame 12 . A groove 26 for tool insertion is formed in the form of a groove having a square or hexagonal cross section on the exposed rotational central shaft 18 .

Accordingly, the user can easily rotate the lower caster slider 19 by inserting a tool such as a wrench or a screwdriver into the tool insertion groove 26 on the rotation center shaft 18 of the lower caster slider 19. .

In addition, the caster device for furniture includes a caster 20 as a means for rolling on the floor when moving furniture, such as a desk or chair.

The caster 20 is a known caster including a wheel and a shaft. The caster shaft is inserted and supported in the caster shaft coupling groove 32 formed in a shape that is dug upward from the bottom of the lower caster slider 19 by using the caster shaft. installed in a structure that

When a load is applied (eg, when a user sits on a chair), the caster 20 moves relatively upward and is supported on the floor at the same height as the bottom of the caster cap 23, and when the load is removed (eg, When the user gets up from the chair), it moves relatively downward by the restoring force of the spring 21 and is supported on the floor while being positioned relatively lower than the bottom of the caster cap 23 .

Here, as the caster 20, various types of casters, such as a ball-shaped caster and a wheel-shaped caster, may be applied.

In addition, the caster device for furniture includes a lower caster slider 19 including an upper caster slider 17 and a spring 21 as a means for elastically supporting the entire caster 20 downward at all times.

The spring 21 is in the form of a coil spring, and is accommodated in the spring seating groove 31 formed in the upper caster slider 17. In this received state, the upper end is on the lower surface of the stopper plate 25, and the lower end is the spring seated. It is installed in a structure supported on the bottom of the groove 31, respectively.

Accordingly, when a load is applied to the furniture and the frame 12 is pressed down, the spring 21 is compressed and the caster 20 is relatively raised, and when the load is removed from the furniture, the spring 21 is The frame 12 is raised by the restoring force and at the same time the caster 20 is relatively lowered.

In addition, the caster device for furniture includes a caster cap 23 as a means for closing the end of the frame 12 into which the caster block 13 is inserted and supporting the entire furniture on the floor side.

To this end, a frame groove 22 into which the end of the frame 12 is inserted is formed on the inner surface of the caster cap 23 , and the caster cap 23 covers the exposed portion of the caster block 13 while covering the frame. It is fitted to the end of the frame 12 using the groove 22, and the caster cap 22 tilted in this way is installed to be fixed on the frame 12 by a bolt fastening structure.

Accordingly, when the caster 20 is raised, that is, when a load is applied to the entire furniture and the frame 12 is pressed down, the lower surface of the caster cap 23 at this time is in close contact with the floor to control the movement of the furniture. can be fixed.

In this way, when the furniture is used, the caster cap 23 contacts the floor and supports the entire furniture, so that the entire caster device including the upper and lower caster sliders 17 and 19 is not affected by the load, and eventually the caster device is stabilized. can be protected with

In addition, the caster device for furniture includes a stopper plate 25 as a means for regulating the lift limit of the upper caster slider 17 while supporting the upper end of the spring 21 .

The stopper plate 25 is in the form of a square plate, and is installed on the caster block 13 side with a bolt or screw fastening structure while covering the upper surface of the caster block 13 .

In addition, the stopper plate 25 is formed with a central shaft hole 24 that coincides with the upper frame hole 30 of the frame 12 , and the central shaft hole 24 at this time has the lower caster slider 19 . The central axis of rotation 24 can be positioned through.

As the upper stopper plate 25 is installed on the upper surface of the caster block 13 in this way, the upper end of the spring 21 accommodated inside the upper caster slider 17 can be supported on the lower surface of the stopper plate 25 . do.

In addition, in the state where the upper caster slider 17 is raised, the upper end of the upper caster slider 17 at this time is in close contact with the bottom surface of the stopper plate 25 , and consequently the limit of the upper caster slider 17 is limited. be able to

Accordingly, an operation state of the caster device for furniture configured as described above will be described as follows.

4 and 5 are cross-sectional views showing the use state of the caster device for furniture according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Here, the load-applied state refers to a state in which the user is seated in a chair, a state in which a heavy object is placed on the desk, etc., and the state in which the load is removed refers to a state in which the user gets up from the chair and an article is not placed on the desk. And, the example of the use state below will be described with respect to an example in which the caster device is applied to a chair.

When the user does not sit on the chair, the frame 12 rises upward by the force exerted by the spring 21 and falls off the floor, and the upper and lower caster sliders 17 and 19 and the caster 20 are relatively lowered. As it is, only the caster 20 at this time comes into contact with the floor.

Accordingly, when the user pushes or pulls the chair, it is possible to easily move the chair through the rolling motion of the caster 20 (see FIG. 3 ).

As shown in FIG. 4 , here, the position of the caster 20 is shown while the user is seated on a chair.

That is, when a load is applied, the caster cap 23 comes into contact with the floor while the frame 12 descends downward, and the caster 20 is in a relatively elevated state. The load applied at this time is all frame 12 and caster cap 23 are received.

Accordingly, in the case of using a chair, the entire caster device including the caster 20 is not affected by the load at all, so the caster 20 as well as the caster device can be protected from fatigue, load, etc. due to the load. As a result, it is possible to increase the durability of the caster 20 and the like to extend the durability life of the caster device.

As shown in FIG. 5 , here, the caster 20 is fixed in a lowered state (frame raised state) and a chair is used.

That is, when the user rotates the central axis of rotation 18 using a tool to rotate the lower caster slider 19 by 180°, the upper caster slider 17 slides upward through the contact between the inclined surfaces 15a and 15b. The plane 16a at the end of the inclined surface 15a of the upper caster slider 17 is raised upward by the , and the plane 16a at the end of the inclined surface 15a of the lower caster slider 19 rides on the plane 16b at the end of the inclined surface 15b. Thus, the upper caster slider 17 and the lower caster slider 19 are fixed without vertical movement in this state.

Therefore, even if the user sits on the chair, the entire chair including the frame 12 and the caster cap 23 does not go down, and in this state, the user can move the chair as it is sitting on the chair.

As described above, in the present invention, by applying a new caster device that can roll smoothly while selectively maintaining a free state that can move up and down or a fixed state at a lowered position on the frame side of the furniture, the stopper that is in close contact with the floor when in use It is possible to improve durability, functionality, and operability, such as being able to escape the effects of load by the cap, and at the same time, it is possible to fix furniture using a stopper cap that is close to the floor, eliminating the need for additional parts such as a stopper device. The structure of the back can be simplified and production costs can be reduced, and the convenience of use, such as being able to move or move furniture easily even when heavy objects are placed or people are sitting, can be promoted.

10: slide space part
11: guide groove
12 : frame
13 : caster block
14: guide turn
15a, 15b: slope
16a, 16b: flat
17: upper caster slider
18: rotation center axis
19: lower caster slider
20 : Caster
21: spring
22 : frame groove
23 : Caster Cap
24: central shaft hole
25: stopper plate
26: groove for tool insertion
27: jaw for positioning
28: caster shaft through hole
29: lower frame hole
30: upper frame hole
31: spring seating groove
32: caster shaft coupling groove

Claims (5)

a caster block 13 inserted into the frame 12 while having a slide space 10 and a guide groove 11 on the inner wall;
It has a guide projection 14 on the side that is inserted into the guide groove 11 of the caster block 13 and is guided along the guide groove 11, and at the same time has an inclined surface 15a and a flat surface 16a on the bottom surface, and a slide space portion ( 10) is installed on the inside of the upper caster slider 17 that can move up and down;
The upper caster slider 17 has an inclined surface 15b and a flat surface 16b that can be in contact with the inclined surface 15a and the flat surface 16a of the upper caster slider 17, and while vertically penetrating the center of the upper caster slider 17, the rotation fitted a lower caster slider 19 having a central axis 18 and installed inside the slide space 10 to move up and down and rotate;
a caster 20 coupled to the lower end of the lower caster slider 19 and capable of ascending and descending and rotational movement together with the lower caster slider 19;
a spring 21 installed inside the upper caster slider 17 and elastically supporting the upper caster slider 17 downward at all times;
As a means for closing the caster block 13 while being installed at the end of the frame 12 into which the caster block 13 is inserted, it has a frame groove 22 into which the end of the frame is inserted on the inner surface and when the caster is raised. Caster cap 23 for fixing the movement of the furniture while in close contact with the floor;
a tool insertion groove 26 formed on the rotation center shaft 18 of the lower caster slider 19 to insert a tool for turning the lower caster slider 19;
includes,
A central axis of rotation 18 is vertically formed at the center of the lower caster slider 19 , and the central axis of rotation 18 vertically passes through the center of the upper caster slider 17 , and the upper caster slider 17 . The lower caster slider 19 and the lower caster slider 19 form a coaxial structure via the central axis of rotation 18 and can be stacked up and down, so that the lower caster slider 19 is a center of rotation fitted to the upper caster slider 17 . A caster device for furniture, characterized in that it enables accurate rotational movement about the shaft (18).
delete The method according to claim 1,
The upper surface of the caster block 13 has a central shaft hole 24 through which the rotational central shaft 18 passes and supports the upper end of the spring 21 while regulating the lift limit of the upper caster slider 17 A caster device for furniture, characterized in that a stopper plate (25) is installed.
delete The method according to claim 1,
A caster device for furniture, characterized in that a positioning jaw (27) for determining an insertion position of the caster block (13) is formed on the lower surface of the outer end of the caster block (13) while being caught on the end of the frame (12).

Images