Heat-insulation material falling prevention device

Abstract

To provide a heat-insulation material falling prevention device that can be applied to a panel frame on an exterior wall panel.SOLUTION: A heat-insulation material falling prevention device (4) is a falling prevention device that prevents an insulation material (24) filled in a panel frame of an exterior wall panel from falling off, and is provided with an approximately U-shaped end holding metal fitting (40) that is fitted into a vertical frame (33) of the panel frame and holds the left and right ends of the insulation material. The end holding metal fitting includes a pair of side plate parts (41, 42) and a back plate part (43) connected to the side plate parts, and at least either on the side plate parts or the back plate part, approximately triangular cut-out claws (51, 52) are provided for piercing the heat-insulation material.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 7

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a device for preventing insulation from falling off, and more particularly to a device for preventing insulation filled in a panel frame of an exterior wall panel from falling off. [Background technology]

[0002] The exterior walls of buildings such as houses are required to have thermal insulation performance. For example, in exterior walls that use the external insulation method, insulation material covered with a waterproof sheet is filled into the panel frame of the exterior wall panel. When the exterior wall panel is constructed, the insulation material is attached by pushing it into the panel frame.

[0003] As a technique for preventing the insulation material from falling off, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-82112 (Patent Document 1) and Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-82115 (Patent Document 2) disclose a fixing metal fitting for fixing the insulation material arranged on the back of an interior wall board such as a plaster board to a square stud. This fixing metal fitting includes a holding member that fits into the stud and a needle-shaped body that penetrates the insulation material held by the holding member in the thickness direction. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 10-82112 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 10-82115 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] The insulation material of the exterior wall panels is mounted by pushing it into the panel frame, so it is maintained in the correct position for a long period of time. However, in order to improve the fire resistance of exterior walls that use such exterior wall panels, there was a need for a technology that would delay the falling off of the insulation material (slipping down within the panel frame) when heated from the outside.

[0006] The fixing brackets in Patent Documents 1 and 2 are intended to prevent the insulation material arranged on both sides of the square stud from falling off, and these fixing brackets cannot be applied to panel frames.

[0007] The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and its object is to provide a device for preventing insulation from falling off that can be applied to the panel frame of an exterior wall panel. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] A device for preventing insulation from falling out according to one aspect of the present invention is a device for preventing insulation filled in a panel frame of an exterior wall panel from falling out, and includes a substantially U-shaped end holding metal fitting that is fitted into a vertical frame of the panel frame and holds the left and right ends of the insulation. The end holding metal fitting includes a pair of side plate parts and a back plate part connected to the side plate parts, and at least one of the side plate parts and the back plate part is provided with a cut-and-raised claw for piercing the insulation material.

[0009] In one embodiment, the cut-and-raised claws on the back plate have a generally triangular shape and are cut and raised at an acute angle from one lateral side of the back plate to the other lateral side, while the cut-and-raised claws on the side plates have a generally triangular shape and are cut and raised at an acute angle from the rear of the back plate to the front.

[0010] In another embodiment, the cut-and-raised claws on the back plate have a generally triangular shape and are cut and raised at a generally vertical angle from above to below the back plate, while the cut-and-raised claws on the side plates have a generally triangular shape and are cut and raised at a generally vertical angle from above to below the side plate.

[0011] Preferably, the insulation material fall-off prevention device further includes a central holding metal fitting for holding a central portion of the insulation material in the left-right direction. The central holding metal fitting includes a holding plate penetrating the central portion of the insulation material in the front-back direction and a pair of receiving metal fittings for receiving and holding both ends of the holding plate.

[0012] Alternatively, the end retaining fitting may include a pair of leaf springs fixed to the pair of side plate portions, respectively, and extending toward the center in the left-right direction. In this case, it is preferable that the pair of leaf springs have cut-and-raised claws provided on opposing portions facing each other.

[0013] Preferably, the pair of side plate portions are provided at their distal ends with hook portions for hooking onto the side surfaces of the vertical frame, thereby facilitating attachment of the end holding fittings. Effect of the Invention

[0014] According to the present invention, it is possible to prevent (suppress) the falling off of the insulating material filled in the panel frame of the exterior wall panel. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0015] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a schematic basic structure of an exterior wall in each embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a schematic diagram of an internal structure of an outer wall in each embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 3] 1 is a perspective view showing a configuration example of an end holding fitting of a fall-off prevention device according to embodiment 1 of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 4] 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a schematic state in which an end holding fitting according to a first embodiment of the present invention is attached to a vertical frame. FIG. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a schematic state in which an end holding fitting according to the first embodiment of the present invention is attached to a vertical frame. [Figure 6] 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a schematic state of attachment of a thermal insulator to a vertical frame to which an end retaining metal fitting according to a first embodiment of the present invention is attached. FIG. [Figure 7]FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a schematic state of a heat insulating material attached to a vertical frame to which an end holding fitting according to the first embodiment of the present invention is attached. [Figure 8] 5 is a perspective view showing another example of the configuration of the end holding fitting of the fall-off prevention device according to embodiment 1 of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 9] 10 is a perspective view showing a configuration example of an end holding fitting of a fall-off prevention device according to embodiment 2 of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 10] FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing a typical method of attaching a central retaining metal fitting of a fall-off prevention device according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 11] 10 is a cross-sectional view showing a schematic attachment state of a central holding metal fitting of a fall-off prevention device according to a second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 12] 11 is a perspective view showing a schematic attached state of a central holding metal fitting of a fall-off prevention device according to a second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 13] FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing a configuration example of an end holding fitting of an anti-fall-off device according to embodiment 3 of the present invention. [Figure 14] FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view showing a schematic attached state of a fall-off prevention device according to a third embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 15] FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing a schematic attached state of a fall-off prevention device according to a third embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 16] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration example of a fall-off prevention device according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 17] FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing a configuration example of an end retaining fitting for a center rail in accordance with a fourth embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 18] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram for explaining the fire resistance performance of a known exterior wall that is not provided with fall prevention devices. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0016] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the drawings, the same or corresponding parts are designated by the same reference characters and their description will not be repeated.

[0017] <Basic structure> The basic structure of an exterior wall 1 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 1 and 2. Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view that shows a schematic representation of the basic structure of an exterior wall 1 according to this embodiment. Figure 2 is a schematic representation of the internal structure of the exterior wall 1, as seen from direction II (indoor side) in Figure 1. Note that arrow A1 in these figures indicates the depth direction (interior-exterior direction) of the exterior wall 1, and arrow A2 indicates the width direction of the exterior wall 1. Also, arrow A3 indicates the up-down direction of the exterior wall 1. The same applies to the subsequent figures.

[0018] Referring to Figure 1, an exterior wall 1 includes a plurality of pillars 11, studs 12 arranged between the pillars 11, a plate-like member (interior surface material) 21 such as gypsum board arranged on the indoor side of the studs 12, and an exterior wall panel 22 arranged on the outdoor side of the pillars 11.

[0019] The exterior wall panel 22 integrally includes a panel frame 23 which is a rectangular frame body, a heat insulating material 24 filled in the panel frame 23, an exterior base 25 located on the outdoor side of the panel frame 23, and an exterior material 26 such as siding. The exterior wall panel 22 is attached to the pillar 11 by fixing upper and lower ends of the panel frame 23 to the pillar 11 via fixing metal fittings (not shown). Note that the panel frame 23 may be fixed to a structural body (such as a beam) other than the pillar 11.

[0020] As shown in FIG. 2, the panel frame 23 includes a pair of upper and lower horizontal members (hereinafter referred to as “horizontal frames”) 31, 32, and a plurality of vertical members (hereinafter referred to as “vertical frames”) 33 erected between the horizontal members 31, 32.

[0021] The horizontal frames 31, 32 and the vertical frame 33 are both long members having a substantially U-shaped cross section. The vertical frame 33 is attached in a state of being fitted into the opening of the horizontal frames 31, 32. The vertical frames 33 are arranged back to back at a constant pitch, and soft heat insulating material 24 such as glass wool or rock wool is arranged in the area between the pair of vertical frames 33a, 33b facing each other in the left-right direction. The heat insulating material 24 is filled (without gaps) entirely in the vertically long rectangular area 30 surrounded by the pair of horizontal frames 31, 32 and the pair of vertical frames 33a, 33b. The aspect ratio of the rectangular area 30 is, for example, about 3:1 to 4:1.

[0022] The insulation material 24 is a one-piece body completely covered with a waterproof sheet such as a polyethylene film, and its size and shape approximately match those of the rectangular area 30. That is, typically, one vertically elongated insulation material 24 is filled into the vertically elongated rectangular area 30. As shown in FIG. 1 , in the installed state, the indoor surface of the insulation material 24 faces the hollow layer 20. The outdoor surface of the insulation material 24 is in contact (surface contact) with the exterior base 25.

[0023] In this way, since the outer peripheral edge of the insulation material 24 is pressed into the panel frame 23, it is unlikely that the insulation material 24 will slip off under normal conditions. However, in order to improve the fire resistance of the exterior wall, it is necessary to increase the holding strength of the insulation material 24. This will be explained with reference to FIG. 18.

[0024] In a fire resistance test, an exterior wall having a known exterior wall panel 122 shown in Fig. 18(A) is heated from the outdoor side. The known exterior wall panel 122 does not have a fall-off prevention device described below. In this case, when heating of the exterior wall is started from the outdoor side, i) the exterior material falls off, and ii) the exterior base begins to melt. iii) The heat insulating material 24 is heated and becomes thinner, causing the friction and fixation with the panel frame 23 to be lost, and iv) the insulating material 24 slips off (falls off) as shown in Fig. 18(B). Note that Fig. 18(B) simply shows the state in which the insulating material 24 falls off.

[0025] If the insulation material 24 falls off, heat input to the hollow space on the indoor side of the insulation material 24 is promoted, and the plate-like member (gypsum board) is directly exposed to fire. In that case, heat is easily transferred to the indoor side of the plate-like member, making it difficult to obtain the desired fire resistance.

[0026] 2, in this embodiment, fall prevention devices 4 for increasing the holding strength of the thermal insulation material 24 are attached to the vertical frames 33 of the panel frame 23. The fall prevention devices 4 include at least a pair of end holding metal fittings 40 attached to each of the pair of left and right vertical frames 33 (33a, 33b). The fall prevention devices 4 will be described in detail below.

[0027] <Embodiment 1> The fall-off prevention device 4 according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Fig. 2 to Fig. 7. Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing a configuration example of an end holding metal fitting 40 of the fall-off prevention device 4. Figs. 4 and 5 are diagrams showing typically the state in which the end holding metal fitting 40 is attached to the vertical frame 33. Figs. 6 and 7 are diagrams showing typically the state in which the heat insulating material 24 is attached to the vertical frame 33 to which the end holding metal fitting 40 is attached.

[0028] 3 to 5, the end holding fitting 40 is a piece having a substantially U-shaped cross section, and is fitted into and attached to the vertical frame 33. The vertical frame 33 is a long member extending in the up-down direction, and includes a pair of side portions 331, 332 facing each other, and a back portion 333 connecting the side portions 331, 332.

[0029] (Example of end retaining fixture configuration) The end retaining metal fitting 40 includes a pair of side plate portions 41, 42 facing each other, and a back plate portion 43 connected to the side plate portions 41, 42. In the attached state, the pair of side plate portions 41, 42 contact (surface contact) with the inner surfaces of the side portions 331, 332 of the vertical frame 33, and the back plate portion 43 contacts (surface contact) with the inner surface of the back portion 333 of the vertical frame 33. In the description of the end retaining metal fitting 40, the outer side in the left-right direction of the vertical frame 33 (the side of the back portion 333 of the vertical frame 33) is referred to as the rear, and the inner side in the left-right direction (the tip side of the side portions 331, 332 of the vertical frame 33) is referred to as the front. An arrow A4 in FIG. 3 indicates the front of the end retaining metal fitting 40.

[0030] The side plate portions 41, 42 are integrally provided with hook portions 44 that hook onto a pair of side surface portions 331, 332 of the vertical frame 33. The hook portions 44 have a clip shape. That is, the hook portions 44 are formed by folding back the tip portions (inner portions in the left-right direction) of the side plate portions 41, 42.

[0031] The side plate portions 41, 42 have inner surfaces (surfaces facing each other) provided with cut-and-raised claws 51. The cut-and-raised claws 51 are formed by cutting and raising a portion of each side plate portion 41, 42 from the rear side to the front side. The cut-and-raised claws 51 have a roughly triangular shape with a pointed tip. "Roughly triangular shape" means that at least the tip is triangular.

[0032] The angle of the cutting and raising claws 51 is acute, and the cutting and raising claws 51 are oriented slightly rearward (toward the back panel portion 43). In other words, the cutting and raising claws 51 have a contact surface facing diagonally forward and a contact surface 510 facing diagonally rearward. This makes it possible to prevent the insulation material 24 from coming off forward (inward in the left-right direction) without interfering with the insertion of the insulation material 24 when the exterior wall panel 22 is installed.

[0033] The inner surface of the back plate portion 43 is also provided with a cut-and-raise claw 52. The cut-and-raise claws 52 are provided symmetrically on the left and right sides with respect to the lateral center. Each cut-and-raise claw 52 is formed by cutting and raising a part of the back plate portion 43 from the outer side (one lateral side) to the central side (the other lateral side). The cut-and-raise claw 52 also has a triangular shape, and the cut-and-raise angle is an acute angle. In other words, the cut-and-raise claw 52 is oriented slightly to the side (towards the side plate portions 41 and 42). The cut-and-raise claw 52 has a contact surface facing diagonally forward and a contact surface 520 facing diagonally backward.

[0034] The side plates 41, 42 and the back plate 43 may be provided with ribs (recesses) 47 extending in the vertical direction in order to increase the rigidity of the end retaining fitting 40 itself (to prevent deformation). It is desirable that the ribs 47 are provided in the horizontal center of each part. In this embodiment, the ribs 47 of the side plates 41, 42 are located closer to the back plate 43 than the cut-and-raised claws 51, and the rib 47 of the back plate 43 is located between a pair of cut-and-raised claws 52.

[0035] (How to install insulation on panel frames) When applying the heat insulating material 24 to the panel frame 23, first, the fall prevention device 4 is attached to the panel frame 23. That is, the end holding metal fittings 40 are attached to each of the vertical frames 33 (33a, 33b).

[0036] Specifically, as shown in Figures 4(A) and 5(A), the end retaining bracket 40 is inserted from the front into the opening of the vertical frame 33. As described above, the end retaining bracket 40 has a pair of hook portions 44 that open rearward on the outer sides of the front ends of the pair of side plate portions 41, 42, so that the side surface portions 331, 332 of the vertical frame 33 are fitted into the hook portions 44 during insertion. When the end retaining bracket 40 is inserted all the way, it is fixed in place by frictional forces between the pair of side plate portions 41, 42 and the back plate portion 43 and the corresponding portions of the vertical frame 33, and by the holding force of the hook portions 44 (the restoring force of the leaf spring).

[0037] 4(B) and 5(B), in the attached state, the back plate portion 43 is in surface contact (or close to) the back surface portion 333 of the vertical frame 33, and the pair of side plate portions 41, 42 are in surface contact (or close to) the pair of side surface portions 331, 332 of the vertical frame 33. In addition, the pair of hook portions 44 clamp the front end portions of the pair of side surface portions 331, 332 of the vertical frame 33. This allows the end holding fitting 40 to be fixed to the vertical frame 33 without using fastening means such as screws or adhesives.

[0038] It is preferable that the end retaining fittings 40 are attached symmetrically (i.e., at approximately the same height) as shown in Fig. 2. In other words, it is preferable that the fall-off prevention device 4 has at least a pair of end retaining fittings 40 arranged symmetrically. It is also preferable that at least one end retaining fitting 40 is provided in a position above the longitudinal center of each vertical frame 33. In this embodiment, multiple (e.g., two) end retaining fittings 40 are attached to one vertical frame 33 at positions above and below the longitudinal center.

[0039] When the end holding fittings 40 are attached to each vertical frame 33, both sides of the insulation material 24 are fitted (by pushing) into the openings of the pair of vertical frames 33 as usual. Figures 6(A) and 7(A) show conceptual diagrams when inserting the side of the insulation material 24 into one of the vertical frames 33. Figures 6(B) and 7(B) show the state in which the insulation material 24 is held by the vertical frames 33.

[0040] 6(B) and 7(B), at the position where the end retaining metal fitting 40 is attached, the side of the thermal insulation material 24 is inserted into the end retaining metal fitting 40. At this time, the cut and raised claws 51, 52 of the end retaining metal fitting 40 pierce both the front and back sides and the left and right end faces of the thermal insulation material 24. As a result, the thermal insulation material 24 is held by the end retaining metal fitting 40 with the cut and raised claws 51, 52 biting into it.

[0041] According to the exterior wall panel 22 including the insulation material 24 installed according to the above-mentioned installation procedure, even if the thickness of the insulation material 24 becomes thinner due to heating, the cut and raised claws 51 piercing the insulation material 24 can suppress deformation (shrinkage) in the thickness direction of the insulation material 24. In other words, since the end retaining metal fittings 40 have contact surfaces 510 that resist the deformation force of the insulation material 24, the insulation material 24 can maintain contact with the side plate portions 41, 42 for a relatively long period of time.

[0042] In addition, since the insulating material 24 is also caught by the cut and raised claws 52 of the back plate portion 43, even if the insulating material 24 is deformed (reduced in thickness), the insulating material 24 is unlikely to separate from the back plate portion 43. In other words, since the end retaining metal fittings 40 have contact surfaces 520 that resist deformation of the insulating material 24 forward (inward in the left-right direction), the insulating material 24 can be maintained in contact with the back plate portion 43 for a relatively long period of time.

[0043] Therefore, according to the exterior wall panel 22 of this embodiment, the falling off of the insulation material 24 from the panel frame 23 can be delayed compared to a known exterior wall panel 122 (Figure 18) that does not have an end retaining bracket 40.

[0044] (Modification) The method of forming the cut and raised claws 51, 52 provided on the end holding fitting 40 is not limited to the above example.

[0045] 8(A) and (B), the end holding fitting 40A may include a cut-and-raised claw 53 formed by cutting and raising a portion of the side plate portions 41, 42 from above downward, and a cut-and-raised claw 54 formed by cutting and raising a portion of the back plate portion 43 from above downward. It is desirable that the cut-and-raised claws 53, 54 are cut and raised so as to be approximately horizontal in the installed state.

[0046] That is, the cut-and-raised claws 53 of the side plate portion 41 are cut and raised at an angle approximately perpendicular to the side plate portion 41, and point toward the opposing side plate portion 42. The cut-and-raised claws 53 of the side plate portion 42 are similarly cut and raised at an angle approximately perpendicular to the side plate portion 42, and point toward the opposing side plate portion 41. The cut-and-raised claws 54 of the back plate portion 43 are cut and raised at an angle approximately perpendicular to the back plate portion 43, and point straight forward. Note that an approximately perpendicular angle means that the angle is approximately 90 degrees when viewed visually, and may be in the range of approximately 85 degrees to 95 degrees.

[0047] According to such an end holding fitting 40, the cut and raised claws 53, 54 have upwardly facing contact surfaces 530, 540, so that the heat insulating material 24 can be prevented from slipping down due to its own weight.

[0048] <Embodiment 2> In the second embodiment of the present invention, an example will be described in which the fall-off prevention device further comprises a central retaining bracket that holds the central portion of the insulating material 24, in addition to at least a pair of end retaining brackets that hold both ends of the insulating material 24.

[0049] A fall-prevention device 4A according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figs. 9 to 12. Fig. 9 is a perspective view showing a configuration example of an end holding metal fitting 40B of the fall-prevention device 4A. Figs. 10 to 12 are diagrams showing a typical method of attaching a central holding metal fitting 60 of the fall-prevention device 4A. Fig. 12(B) shows a typical attached state of the fall-prevention device 4A. The fall-prevention device 4A' shown in Fig. 12(C) includes a holding plate 66 different from the holding plate 65 of the fall-prevention device 4A. Fig. 11 shows an example in which both holding plates 65 and 66 are applied for the sake of convenience.

[0050] 11(B) and 12(B), the fall-off prevention device 4A includes at least a pair of end holding fittings 40B that hold both left and right ends of the thermal insulation material 24, and a center holding fitting 60 that holds the left and right center of the thermal insulation material 24. The center holding fitting 60 is supported by the vertical frames 33a, 33b via the left and right end holding fittings 40B.

[0051] 9, the end holding fitting 40B includes a pair of engaged portions 55 provided on the inner surfaces of the side plate portions 41, 42. Ends of receiving fittings 61, 62 described below engage with the engaged portions 55. The engaged portions 55 are provided forward of the cut-and-raised claws 52. The engaged portions 55 have upwardly bent pieces.

[0052] The central retaining bracket 60 includes at least one retaining plate 65 (or 66) that penetrates the left-right central portion of the insulation material 24 in the front-to-back direction (inside-outside direction), and a pair of receiving brackets 61, 62 that receive and hold both ends of the retaining plate 65 (or 66).

[0053] The receiving fittings 61, 62 are long thin plates extending in the left-right direction, and as shown in Fig. 11(C), both ends of the receiving fittings 61, 62 are provided with engagement grooves 63 that engage with the engaged portions 55 of the end holding fittings 40B. A horizontally elongated insertion hole 64 through which the holding plate 65 (or 66) is inserted is provided in the longitudinal center of the receiving fittings 61, 62. The number of insertion holes 64 provided is the same as the number of holding plates 65 (for example, two).

[0054] 11(A), the holding plate 65 has a rectangular shape that is long in the front-back direction (inside-out direction) of the thermal insulation material 24, and has slit-like cutout portions 67 provided at two locations on one of the long sides. Alternatively, like the holding plate 66, the cutout portions 67 may be provided on both long sides.

[0055] When constructing the exterior wall panel 22, as shown in Fig. 10(A), with the end of the insulation material 24 inserted into the vertical frame 33 to which the end retaining metal fittings 40B are attached, the engagement groove 63 provided at the longitudinal end of one of the receiving metal fittings 61 is inserted from above into the engaged portion 55 of the outdoor-side side plate portion 41 of the end retaining metal fitting 40B. In this way, on the outdoor side of the insulation material 24, both longitudinal ends of the receiving metal fitting 61 are supported by the left and right vertical frames 33a, 33b via the end retaining metal fittings 40.

[0056] 10(B), the engagement groove 63 provided on the longitudinal end of the other receiving bracket 62 is inserted from above into the engaged portion 55 of the indoor side panel 42 of the end holding bracket 40B. In this way, on the indoor side of the insulation material 24, both longitudinal ends of the receiving bracket 62 are supported by the left and right vertical frames 33a, 33b via the end holding bracket 40. As a result, the insulation material 24 is sandwiched between the receiving brackets 61, 62 which are parallel to each other.

[0057] 11(A), the holding plate 65 is inserted into the insertion hole 64 of the receiving bracket 61 from, for example, the outdoor direction, and is then passed through the insulation material 24, and an end of the holding plate 65 is inserted into the insertion hole 64 of the other receiving bracket 62. The holding plate 65 is then slid left and right to lock the notches 67 into both the receiving brackets 61 and 62. Alternatively, when the holding plate 66 is used, the holding plate 66 is rotated clockwise or counterclockwise to lock the notches 67 into both the receiving brackets 61 and 62.

[0058] According to this embodiment, the fall-off prevention device 4A includes, in addition to the end holding fittings 40B described above, a central holding fitting 60 having a holding plate 65 (or 66) penetrating the insulation material 24 in the inward and outward directions, so that the insulation material 24 can be supported in an appropriate position for a long period of time. As a result, even if the exterior wall panel 22 is heated from the outdoor side, the fall-off of the insulation material 24 can be sufficiently delayed, so that the fire resistance of the exterior wall panel 22 can be further improved.

[0059] <Embodiment 3> In the third embodiment of the present invention, an example will be described in which an end holding fitting for holding an end of the heat insulating material 24 includes a clamping portion for clamping the heat insulating material 24 in the front-back direction.

[0060] A fall-off prevention device 4B according to a third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Fig. 13 to Fig. 15. Fig. 13 is a perspective view showing a configuration example of an end holding metal fitting 40C of the fall-off prevention device 4B. Figs. 14 to 15 are diagrams typically showing an attached state of the fall-off prevention device 4B.

[0061] As shown in FIG. 14(B) and FIG. 15(B), the fall-off prevention device 4B includes at least a pair of end holding metal fittings 40C that hold both ends of the heat insulating material 24 in the left and right direction.

[0062] The end holding fitting 40C includes a main body portion 400 similar to the end holding fitting 40 shown in the first embodiment, for example, and a clamping portion 70 connected to the main body portion 400.

[0063] The clamping portion 70 has a leaf spring portion 71 welded to one side plate portion 41 and extending forward (toward the center in the left-right direction), and a leaf spring portion 72 welded to the other side plate portion 42 and extending forward (toward the center in the left-right direction). The leaf spring portions 71, 72 are disposed to face each other, and are bent at a gentle angle so that central portions 71a, 72a in the extending direction approach each other. The clamping portion 70 clamps the insulating material 24 by the elastic force of the leaf spring portions 71, 72.

[0064] The leaf spring portions 71, 72 have a cut-and-raised claw 73 on the inner surface (facing portion) of the central portions 71a, 72a in the extension direction. The cut-and-raised claw 73 has, for example, the same shape as the cut-and-raised claw 51 of the main body portion 400. The cut-and-raised claw 71 is formed by cutting and raising a part of each leaf spring portion 71, 72 from the rear side to the front side. The cut-and-raised claw 51 has a triangular shape and is oriented slightly rearward (toward the back plate portion 43). Therefore, it is possible to prevent the insulation material 24 from coming off forward without interfering with the insertion of the insulation material 24 during construction of the exterior wall panel 22.

[0065] According to this embodiment, the end holding metal fittings 40C of the fall-off prevention device 4B have the cut and raised claws 73 that bite into the insulation material 24 even at a position closer to the center in the left-right direction than the vertical frame 33, so that the insulation material 24 can be supported in an appropriate position for a long period of time despite the simple configuration. As a result, even if the exterior wall panel 22 is heated from the outdoor side, the fall-off of the insulation material 24 can be sufficiently delayed, thereby improving the fire resistance of the exterior wall panel 22.

[0066] <Fourth embodiment> In the above embodiments 1 to 3, an example has been described in which a vertically elongated insulating material 24 is arranged between a pair of vertical frames 33a, 33b. However, in an embodiment in which a square wooden batten (hereinafter referred to as a "middle batten") 34 is arranged between a pair of vertical frames 33a, 33b as shown in Figure 16(A), an end retaining bracket 80 for the middle batten 34 can be used.

[0067] As shown in Fig. 16(B), a fall-off prevention device 4C according to this embodiment includes an end retaining bracket 40C attached to each of a pair of vertical frames 33a, 33b, and an end retaining bracket 80 attached to the center rail 34. The end retaining bracket 80 includes an outdoor-side bracket 81a fixed to the outdoor side of the center rail 34, and an indoor-side bracket 81b fixed to the indoor side of the center rail 34. These brackets 81a, 81b have the same shape. The end retaining bracket for the vertical frame 33 may be the end retaining bracket 40 (or 40A) shown in embodiment 1.

[0068] The metal fittings 81 (81a, 81b) for the center rail 34 include a main body portion 82 fixed to the center rail 34 by, for example, a screw, and leaf spring portions 83, 84 extending from the main body portion 82 to both the left and right sides. The leaf spring portion 83 is disposed to the left of the center rail 34 on the paper, and the leaf spring portion 84 is disposed to the right of the center rail 34 on the paper. These leaf spring portions 83, 84 have cut and raised claws 85 on the inner surface (the surface on the thermal insulation material 24 side) similarly to the leaf spring portions 71, 72 of the third embodiment. As a result, the thermal insulation material 24 located on the left side of the center rail 34 is clamped by the leaf spring portions 83 of the metal fittings 81a, 81b facing each other in the inward and outward directions, and the thermal insulation material 24 located on the right side of the center rail 34 is clamped by the leaf spring portions 84 of the metal fittings 81a, 81b.

[0069] <Other embodiments> In each of the above-described embodiments, an example has been shown in which the end holding fitting of the fall prevention device is fixed to the vertical frame 33 by a pair of hook portions 44, but the present invention is not limited to such an example. For example, the end holding fitting may be fixed in advance to the vertical frame 33 by welding.

[0070] In the above embodiments, examples have been shown in which the side plate portions 41, 42 and the back plate portion 43 of the end retaining fitting are each provided with a substantially triangular cut-and-raised claw, but for example, the cut-and-raised claw may be provided only on the back plate portion 43. If the back plate portion 43 has a cut-and-raised claw, even if the thickness of the insulation material 24 is reduced when heated from the outdoors, the end face of the insulation material 24 can be restrained, thereby preventing the insulation material 24 from falling off prematurely. Alternatively, the cut-and-raised claw may be provided only on the side plate portions 41, 42.

[0071] In addition, in each of the above-described embodiments, both left and right ends of the heat insulating material 24 are held by the end holding fittings, but only one end of the heat insulating material 24 may be held by the end holding fittings. In other words, the end holding fitting may be attached to only one of the pair of vertical frames 33a, 33b.

[0072] The above-described embodiments and modifications may be combined as appropriate. For example, different types of cut-and-raised claws may be arranged vertically or horizontally on the side plate or back surface of the end retaining metal fitting.

[0073] The embodiments disclosed herein should be considered to be illustrative and not restrictive in all respects. The scope of the present invention is defined by the claims, not the above description, and is intended to include all modifications within the meaning and scope of the claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0074] 1 exterior wall, 4, 4A, 4B, 4C fall prevention device, 22 exterior wall panel, 23 panel frame, 24 heat insulating material, 33, 33a, 33b vertical frame, 34 center sash, 40, 40A, 40B, 40C, 80 end holding fittings, 41, 42 side panel portion, 43 back panel portion, 44 hooking portion, 51, 52, 53, 54, 71, 73, 85 cut-out claws, 60 center holding fittings, 61, 62 receiving fittings, 65, 66 holding plate, 70 clamping portion, 71, 72, 83, 84 leaf spring portion, 81, 81a, 81b center sash fittings.

Claims

1. A fall prevention device that prevents the fall-off of insulation material filled in the panel frame of an exterior wall panel, a substantially U-shaped end holding fitting that is fitted into a vertical frame of the panel frame and holds left and right ends of the thermal insulation material; The end holding fitting includes a pair of side plate portions and a back plate portion connected to the side plate portions, An insulation material falling prevention device, in which at least one of the side plate portion and the back plate portion is provided with a cut and raised claw for piercing the insulation material.

2. The insulation material fall prevention device described in claim 1, wherein the cut-and-raised claws provided on the back plate portion have an approximately triangular shape and are cut and raised at an acute angle from one lateral side of the back plate portion to the other side.

3. 3. An insulation material falling prevention device as described in claim 1 or 2, wherein the cut-and-raised claws provided on the side panel portion have an approximately triangular shape and are cut and raised at an acute angle from the rear, which is the back panel portion, to the front.

4. The insulation material fall prevention device as described in claim 1, wherein the cut-and-raised claws provided on the back plate portion have an approximately triangular shape and are cut and raised at an approximately vertical angle from the top to the bottom of the back plate portion.

5. An insulation material falling prevention device as described in claim 1 or 4, wherein the cut-and-raised claws provided on the side plate portion have an approximately triangular shape and are cut and raised at an approximately vertical angle from the top to the bottom of the side plate portion.

6. The insulating material further includes a central holding metal fitting for holding a central portion of the insulating material in a left-right direction. The insulation material falling prevention device described in claim 1, wherein the central retaining bracket includes a retaining plate that penetrates the left-right central portion of the insulation material in the front-back direction, and a pair of receiving brackets that receive and hold both ends of the retaining plate.

7. the end holding fitting includes a pair of leaf spring portions fixed to the pair of side plate portions, respectively, and extending toward the center in the left-right direction, 2. The device for preventing a heat insulating material from falling off according to claim 1, wherein the pair of leaf spring parts have cut and raised claws provided on opposing parts facing each other.

8. The fall-off prevention device according to claim 1 , wherein a hook portion is provided at a tip of the pair of side plate portions for hooking onto a side surface portion of the vertical frame.

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