Open-close mechanism and fixture

By employing a spiral gear with helical worm teeth and a meshing gear plate, the window opening/closing device achieves high-speed operation with reduced torque, addressing the challenges of heavy handling in existing devices.

JP2025044060APending Publication Date: 2025-04-01LIXIL CORP
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Patent Information

Application Number
JP2023151753
Authority / Receiving Office
JP · JP
Patent Type
Applications
Current Assignee / Owner
Filing Date
2023-09-19
Publication Date
2025-04-01

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

Existing window opening/closing devices struggle to achieve high-speed operation while maintaining manageable torque, leading to heavy handling of the handle.

Method used

The use of a spiral gear with worm teeth in a helical shape and a gear plate with a tooth portion that meshes with the worm teeth, allowing for high-speed rotation of the gear plate and suppression of torque.

Benefits of technology

This configuration enables high-speed window operation while reducing the torque required, making it easier to handle the device.

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Abstract

To provide an open-close mechanism and a fixture of a window which can open and close the window in high speed while suppressing the torque.SOLUTION: An open-close mechanism and a fixture comprise: a spiral gear that is rotatable by operation with a first axial line as the center and has a worm tooth arranged in spiral shape on its circumference with the first axial line as the center; and a gear plate that is rotatable with a second axial line as the center across the first axial line, has a tooth part on its circumference to mesh with the worm tooth, and outputs a driving force generated by the rotation of the spiral gear to the open-close window. The worm tooth consists of multiple lines.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 10
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Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an opening and closing device and fittings. [Background technology]

[0002] For example, an opening and closing device for opening and closing a sliding window in a building fixture, as disclosed in Patent Document 1, has a rotating shaft attached to the end of a handle and having a gear on its outer periphery, and a gear plate having engaging teeth that mesh with the gear.

[0003] The opening and closing device disclosed in Patent Document 1 opens and closes a window by operating a handle to rotate a gear plate via a rotating shaft. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2016-89571 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] There is a demand for windows to be opened and closed quickly and quickly. In order to open and close windows quickly, it is possible to reduce the number of teeth on the gear plate and make the gear ratio smaller, but this creates a problem in that the torque increases and the handle becomes heavy to operate.

[0006] The present disclosure has been made in consideration of the above points, and aims to provide an opening and closing device and fittings that can open and close windows at high speed while suppressing torque. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] A first aspect of the present disclosure is an opening and closing device comprising: a spiral gear that can be rotated about a first axis by operation and has worm teeth on its outer periphery in a spiral shape centered on the first axis; and a gear plate that can be rotatable about a second axis that intersects the first axis and has a tooth portion on its outer periphery that meshes with the worm teeth, and outputs driving force generated with rotation of the spiral gear to an opening and closing window, wherein the worm teeth are arranged in multiple rows. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a front view of a fixture having an opening and closing device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Diagram 2] Cross section taken along line AA in FIG. [Diagram 3] Cross-sectional view taken along line B-B in FIG. [Figure 4] 1. FIG. [Diagram 5] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the input unit as seen from the outdoor side. [Figure 6] FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the connector and the handle as viewed from below on the indoor side. [Figure 8] The handle is in the stowed position. [Figure 9] The handle is in the operating position. [Figure 10] Left side view of the spiral gear and gear plate. [Figure 11] FIG. [Figure 12] Left side view of the spiral gear, gear plate and handle. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the opening and closing device and fittings of the present disclosure will be described with reference to Fig. 1 to Fig. 12. The following embodiment shows one aspect of the present disclosure, does not limit the disclosure, and can be modified as desired within the scope of the technical idea of ​​the present disclosure. In addition, in the following drawings, the scale of each structure is different from the actual structure in order to make each configuration easier to understand.

[0010] As shown in Fig. 1, the fitting 100 has an opening / closing window 101. As an example, the opening / closing window 101 is a vertical sliding window whose door edge opens and closes centered in the vertical direction.

[0011] The opening and closing window 101 is provided in an opening W formed in a wall of a building. The opening and closing window 101 comprises a frame body 1, a screen 2, and an opening and closing device 3. The screen 2 is housed within the frame body 1. The screen 2 is arranged along a vertical plane. The screen 2 can be opened and closed from a state in which the inside of the frame body 1 is closed to a state in which the door tip is open toward the outdoors.

[0012] In the following description, the direction connecting the outdoor side and the indoor side is referred to as the indoor / outdoor direction. Among the view directions perpendicular to the indoor / outdoor direction, the horizontal direction is referred to as the left / right direction. With regard to the left / right direction, the directions as seen from the indoor side are referred to as the right side and the left side. The vertical direction connecting the upper side and the lower side is referred to as the up / down direction.

[0013] The frame body 1 is formed in a four-sided frame shape and has an upper frame 11, a lower frame 12, and a pair of vertical frames 13.

[0014] The upper frame 11 is located at the upper side of the frame body 1 and extends in the left-right direction. As shown in Fig. 2, the upper frame 11 has a metal upper frame 11A arranged on the outdoor side and a resin upper frame 11B arranged on the indoor side.

[0015] The lower frame 12 is located on the lower side of the frame body 1 and extends in the left-right direction. The lower frame 12 has a metal lower frame 12A arranged on the outdoor side and a resin lower frame 12B arranged on the indoor side. The vertical frame 13 extends in the up-down direction. The vertical frame 13 connects both ends of the upper frame 11 in the left-right direction to both ends of the lower frame 12 in the left-right direction.

[0016] The shoji screen 2 has a frame 20 and glass 29. The frame 20 is formed in a rectangular frame shape. The frame 20 has an upper frame 21, a lower frame 22, and a vertical frame 23. The upper frame 21 is located on the upper side of the frame 20 and extends in the left-right direction. The lower frame 22 is located on the lower side of the frame 20 and extends in the left-right direction. The vertical frame 23 extends in the up-down direction. The vertical frame 23 connects both ends of the upper frame 21 in the left-right direction to both ends of the lower frame 22 in the left-right direction.

[0017] The upper frame 21, the lower frame 22 and the vertical frame 23 are formed with a glass holding groove 26 that is U-shaped in cross section and recessed away from the end face of the glass 29. The end face of the glass 29 is accommodated in the glass holding groove 26 via a glazing channel 27 that has a roughly U-shaped cross section. The glass holding groove 26 and the glazing channel 27 in the vertical frame 23 are not shown in the figure. The shoji screen 2 is guided by an arm provided on the left hanging side by the opening and closing device 3, so that the right door end side of the shoji screen 2 can be opened and closed.

[0018] 3 and 4, the opening and closing device 3 has an input unit 30 and an output unit 40. The input unit 30 receives a driving force for opening and closing the opening window 101. The output unit 40 outputs the driving force received from the input unit 30 to the opening window 101.

[0019] The input unit 30 is fixed from the indoor side to a surface facing the indoor side of the resin lower frame 12B of the lower frame 12. The input unit 30 faces, apart from the upper side, of an opposing surface 12C of the lower frame 12 facing the upward side of the resin lower frame 12B.

[0020] The input section 30 has an input unit 31 and a handle H. The input unit 31 has a cover 32, a base 33, a cap , a spiral gear 35, and a connector .

[0021] The cover 32 covers the base 33, the cap 34, and the spiral gear 35 from the indoor side. By covering the base 33, the cap 34, and the spiral gear 35 from the indoor side with the cover 32, the design can be improved.

[0022] The base 33 has an end surface 33a facing the outdoors that is fixed to the surface of the resin lower frame 12B of the lower frame 12 facing the indoors from the indoor side. The base 33 has a cylindrical portion 33b and a recess 33f. The cylindrical portion 33b extends along a first axis J1 that extends upward from the outdoors toward the indoors. The cylindrical portion 33b has a first hollow portion 33c located on the lower side and a second hollow portion 33d located on the upper side. The first hollow portion 33c has a circular cross section. The spiral gear 35 is inserted from above into the first hollow portion 33c and is held rotatably about the first axis J1.

[0023] The second hollow portion 33d has a circular cross section. The diameter of the second hollow portion 33d is larger than the diameter of the first hollow portion 33c. The cylindrical portion 33b has an engagement hole 33e. The engagement hole 33e extends radially on both sides of the first axis J1. The engagement hole 33e communicates with the second hollow portion 33d on the radially inner side.

[0024] As shown in Fig. 5, the recess 33f is recessed from the end face 33a toward the indoor side. The recess 33f communicates with the first hollow portion 33c. A gear plate 41 (described later) is inserted into the recess 33f from the outdoor side. Since the recess 33f communicates with the first hollow portion 33c, the gear plate 41 inserted into the recess 33f can mesh with the spiral gear 35.

[0025] The cap 34 is inserted into the second cavity 33d from above, and the outer circumferential surface is held. The cap 34 has an engagement protrusion 34A. The engagement protrusion 34A is provided at a position facing the engagement hole 33e in the direction along the first axis J1. The engagement protrusion 34A is a snap fit. The engagement protrusion 34A elastically deforms radially inward when the cap 34 is inserted into the second cavity 33d. The engagement protrusion 34A elastically deforms radially inward and is inserted into the engagement hole 33e by an elastic restoring force when it faces the engagement hole 33e. The engagement protrusion 34A inserted into the engagement hole 33e engages with the cylindrical portion 33b from below, and the cap 34 is fixed to the base 33 in a state in which it is prevented from coming off. A spiral gear 35 is provided penetrating the cap 34.

[0026] 6, the spiral gear 35 extends along the first axis J1. The spiral gear 35 has worm teeth 35A, a knurled portion 35B, and a flange portion 35C.

[0027] The worm teeth 35A are provided on the outer periphery of the lower end side facing the outside. The worm teeth 35A are provided in a spiral shape centered on the first axis J1. When the spiral gear 35 is inserted into the cylindrical portion 33b of the base 33, the worm teeth 35A are held in the first cavity portion 33c.

[0028] The worm teeth 35A are provided in a plurality of teeth. In the embodiment, the worm teeth 35A are provided in two teeth, a first tooth 35D and a second tooth 35E. The first tooth 35D and the second tooth 35E aligned along the first axis J1 are formed with a pitch P in the direction along the first axis J1. The first tooth 35D and the second tooth 35E are each formed with a lead L when the spiral gear 35 rotates 360°. When the worm teeth 35A are two teeth, L=2×P. When the number of teeth of the worm teeth 35A is n and the effective diameter is d, the lead angle α is expressed by the following formula.

[0029] tan(α)=(n×P) / (π×d)

[0030] As is clear from the above formula, the lead angle α can be increased as the number of threads n increases.

[0031] The knurled portion 35B is provided on the outer periphery of the upper end side facing the indoor side. The knurled portion 35B protrudes radially outward from the first axis J1, and has a plurality of ridges extending along the first axis J1 at intervals in the circumferential direction. When the spiral gear 35 is inserted into the cylindrical portion 33b of the base 33, the knurled portion 35B protrudes from the cover 32 and the base 33 as shown in FIG. 3.

[0032] The flange portion 35C is disposed above the worm teeth 35A. The flange portion 35C has the maximum diameter in the spiral gear 35. The flange portion 35C is disposed above the cap 34. The spiral gear 35 is fixed to the base 33 in a prevented state of coming off by the flange portion 35C engaging with the cap 34 from below.

[0033] As shown in FIG. 7, the connector 36 has a fitting tube portion 36A, a fitting column portion 36B, and a shaft portion 36C. The fitting tube portion 36A is cylindrical and extends along the first axis J1. A knurled portion 36D extending along the first axis J1 is provided inside the fitting tube portion 36A. As shown in FIG. 3, the upper side of the spiral gear 35 is inserted into the fitting tube portion 36A. When the upper side of the spiral gear 35 is inserted into the fitting tube portion 36A, the knurled portion 35B and the knurled portion 36D of the spiral gear 35 mesh with each other in the circumferential direction centered on the first axis J1. By the knurled portion 35B and the knurled portion 36D meshing with each other in the circumferential direction, the spiral gear 35 rotates when the connector 36 rotates.

[0034] The fitting column portion 36B is a rectangular column extending along the first axis J1. The fitting column portion 36B is fitted with the handle H in the width direction, which is a direction along a third axis J3 that is perpendicular to the first axis J1 and runs along the indoor / outdoor direction.

[0035] The shaft portion 36C is shaped like a shaft having a circular cross section extending along the third axis J3. The shaft portion 36C penetrates the fitting column portion 36B on the upper and left side of the fitting column portion 36B. The shaft portion 36C protrudes from the fitting column portion 36B on both sides in the direction along the third axis J3.

[0036] The handle H has an arm 37 and a knob portion 38. The arm 37 extends in the left-right direction in a stored state described later. The arm 37 has a recess 37A and a hole portion 37B. The recess 37A is recessed from the lower side of the arm 37 to the upper side. The recess 37A has a rectangular shape when viewed from below. The connector 36 is inserted into the recess 37A from the lower side. The arm 37 with the connector 36 inserted into the recess 37A from the lower side fits into the fitting column portion 36B in the width direction along the third axis J3.

[0037] The hole 37B penetrates the arm 37 in the direction along the third axis J3 via the recess 37A. The hole 37B has a circular shape when viewed from the third axis J3. When the connector 36 is inserted into the recess 37A from below, the arm 37 fits into the shaft 36C in the hole 37B.

[0038] Arm 37, which is fitted with shaft 36C in hole 37B, can rotate in the circumferential direction around shaft 36C. Arm 37 has a regulation wall 37C at the left end. When arm 37 rotates around shaft 36C in the reaction clockwise direction in FIG. 7, regulation wall 37C comes into contact with regulating surface 36E facing left in connector 36, thereby regulating the position of arm 37 in the reaction clockwise direction.

[0039] In the recess 37A, the arm 37 that fits with the fitting column portion 36B in the width direction along the third axis J3 is rotatable in the circumferential direction about the first axis J1 together with the connector 36. By rotating the arm 37 in the circumferential direction about the first axis J1 by operation, the spiral gear 35 can be rotated via the connector 36. The handle H is rotatably connected to the spiral gear 35.

[0040] The knob 38 is a portion that the user grasps and operates when rotating the arm 37 in the circumferential direction about the shaft 36C and when rotating the arm 37 in the circumferential direction about the first axis J1. The knob 38 is detachably attached to the tip of the arm 37. The knob 38 is attached to the tip of the arm 37 that is rotatable about the shaft 36C. The knob 38 extends in a direction downward as it moves toward the right side relative to the arm 37 that extends in the left-right direction.

[0041] As shown in FIG. 8, the handle H is in a housed position along the inclined surface 32A of the cover 32 when the arm 37 is not rotating in the circumferential direction about the first axis J1 to rotate the spiral gear 35.

[0042] 9, when the arm 37 rotates in a reactive clockwise direction about the first axis J1 to rotate the spiral gear 35, the handle H is in an operating position where the knob portion 38, which is defined by the defining wall 37C and the regulating surface 36E, faces upward along the first axis J1. The handle can be folded from the operating position where the spiral gear 35 is rotated to a storage position where the spiral gear 35 is not rotated.

[0043] The output unit 40 outputs a driving force generated by the rotation of the spiral gear 35 to the opening and closing window 101. The output unit 40 has a gear plate 41, a connecting plate 42, and a bracket 43. The gear plate 41 is rotatably installed on the frame 1. The gear plate 41 has a gear plate 41A and a link plate 41B. The gear plate 41A is rotatable about the second axis J2. As shown in FIG. 5, the gear plate 41A is rotatably supported by a rotating shaft 33g extending along the second axis J2. The rotating shaft 33g is provided on the base 33.

[0044] 4 and 10, the gear plate 41A has teeth 41C on its outer periphery. The teeth 41C mesh with the worm teeth 35A of the spiral gear 35. A plurality of teeth 41C are provided at intervals in the circumferential direction. The teeth 41C are helical teeth whose tooth surfaces are inclined with respect to the second axis J2 in accordance with the inclination of the tooth tips of the worm teeth 35A with respect to the second axis J2.

[0045] The gear plate 41A rotates in response to the movement of the worm teeth 35A, with which the tooth portion 41C meshes, in a direction along the first axis J1 as the spiral gear 35 rotates. For example, when the spiral gear 35 rotates 180° and the worm teeth 35A move a pitch P in a direction along the first axis J1, the gear plate 41A rotates by an amount corresponding to the pitch of the tooth portion 41C. The rotation direction of the gear plate 41A corresponds to the rotation direction of the spiral gear 35.

[0046] The link plate 41B curves and extends in a leftward direction from the gear plate 41A toward the outdoor side. The right end of the connecting plate 42 is rotatably connected to the link plate 41B about an axis extending in the vertical direction. The connecting plate 42 extends in a direction toward the indoor side as it approaches the left side. The left end of the connecting plate 42 is rotatably connected to the indoor end of the bracket 43 about an axis extending in the vertical direction. The bracket 43 is connected at its rear end to the lower frame 22 of the frame body 20 of the shoji screen 2 from the indoor side.

[0047] In the opening and closing device 3 and the fitting 100 of the embodiment, for example, by pinching the knob 38 and rotating the handle H, a driving force for opening and closing the opening and closing window 101 is input. For example, as shown in FIG. 11, the driving force generated when the handle H is rotated left rotates the gear plate 41A and the link plate 41B in a clockwise direction via the connector 36 and the spiral gear 35. When the gear plate 41A and the link plate 41B rotate in a clockwise direction, the connecting plate 42 and the bracket 43 move to the right, and the bracket 43 rotates in a counterclockwise direction. When the bracket 43 rotates in a counterclockwise direction, the driving force input by the rotation of the handle H is output, and the door tip of the door screen 2 opens toward the outside. When the door screen 2 is in an open state, the driving force generated when the handle H is rotated right can close the door screen 2 in the reverse operation to the above.

[0048] In the opening and closing device 3 and the fitting 100 of the embodiment, since the worm teeth 35A have two rows, the angle θ1 at which the tip of the worm teeth 35A that mesh with the tooth portion 41C intersects with the second axis J2 is smaller than the angle θ2 at which the tip of the worm teeth 35A that intersects with the second axis J2 when the worm teeth 35A have a single row.

[0049] When the tooth portion 41C is a helical tooth, the tooth space is formed, for example, by pressing while rotating the gear plate 41A. Since the pressing becomes more difficult as the intersecting angle between the tooth space and the second axis J2 becomes larger, the gear plate 41A can be easily manufactured by using two-row worm teeth 35A in which the tip of the worm teeth 35A intersects with the second axis J2 at a small angle.

[0050] For example, if the angle at which the tooth groove in the tooth portion 41C intersects with the second axis J2 is constant, when the angle at which the tooth tip of the worm tooth 35A that meshes with the tooth portion 41C intersects with the second axis J2 is large, it is necessary to reduce the intersection angle θ3 between the opposing surface 12C facing upward of the resin lower frame 12B in the lower frame 12 and the first axis J1.

[0051] 12, the distance between the opposing surface 12C of the lower frame 12 and the handle H becomes short, so it is necessary to reduce the opening angle of the handle H with respect to the first axis J1, which is the operating position. Since the handle H is rotatable in the circumferential direction about the shaft portion 36C, if the knob portion 38 is pinched and rotated in the circumferential direction about the first axis J1 with the opening angle of the handle H being small, the knob portion 38 may fall in the direction approaching the first axis J1, making it difficult to operate.

[0052] By forming the worm teeth 35A in two rows, the area meshing with the tooth portion 41C may increase, and the torque may increase. When using two rows of worm teeth 35A in which the tip of the worm teeth 35A intersects the second axis J2 at a small angle, the intersecting angle θ3 can be increased, and the opening angle of the handle H with respect to the first axis J1 can be increased. By increasing the opening angle of the handle H, the distance between the first axis J1 and the knob portion 38, which is the turning radius of the handle H, can be increased. By increasing the turning radius of the handle H, the load during operation can be suppressed and reduced by the action of the moment. By reducing the load during operation, the handle H can be easily operated even if the torque increases due to the two-row worm teeth 35A. From the viewpoint of suppressing and reducing the load during operation by the action of the moment, the intersecting angle θ3 between the opposing surface 12C and the first axis J1 is preferably 40 degrees or more.

[0053] In the embodiment of the opening and closing device 3 and the fixture 100, the worm teeth 35A are formed with two rows, so that when the spiral gear 35 rotates 360 degrees, the gear plate 41A can be rotated at high speed with a lead L that is twice the tooth tip pitch P of the worm teeth 35A, thereby opening and closing the shoji screen 2.

[0054] In the opening and closing device 3 and the fitting 100 of the embodiment, the worm teeth 35A are formed with two rows, so that the opening angle of the handle H with respect to the first axis J1 can be made large, and the torque during operation can be suppressed.

[0055] Although the preferred embodiments of the present disclosure have been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings, it goes without saying that the present disclosure is not limited to the examples. The shapes and combinations of the components shown in the above examples are merely examples, and various modifications can be made based on design requirements, etc., without departing from the spirit of the present disclosure.

[0056] For example, in the embodiment, the worm teeth 35A are formed with two teeth, but the present invention is not limited to this configuration. The worm teeth 35A may be formed with three or more teeth as long as the teeth are provided with a plurality of teeth.

[0057] In the embodiment, the opening / closing window 101 is a vertical sliding window whose door edge opens and closes around the vertical direction, but is not limited to this configuration. The opening / closing window 101 may be a horizontal sliding window whose door edge opens and closes around the horizontal direction, or a louver window. [Explanation of symbols]

[0058] 3...opening and closing device, 35...spiral gear, 35A...worm teeth, 41...gear plate, 41C...tooth portion, fitting...100, opening and closing window...101, H...handle, J1...first axis, J2...second axis

Claims

1. a spiral gear that can rotate about a first axis by a rotational operation and has worm teeth on an outer periphery thereof in a spiral shape centered on the first axis; a gear plate that is rotatable about a second axis that intersects with the first axis, has teeth on an outer periphery that mesh with the worm teeth, and outputs a driving force generated by rotation of the spiral gear to an opening and closing window; having An opening and closing device, wherein the worm teeth are provided with a plurality of teeth.

2. A handle rotatably connected to the spiral gear. The opening and closing device according to claim 1 .

3. The handle is foldable from an operating position in which the spiral gear is rotated to a storage position in which the spiral gear is not rotated. The opening and closing device according to claim 2 .

4. The gear plate is rotatably installed on a frame provided in the opening / closing window, An intersection angle of the first axis with respect to an opposing surface of the frame that is perpendicular to the second axis and faces the handle is 40 degrees or more. The opening and closing device according to claim 2 or 3.

5. A fitting comprising an opening and closing device according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

Citation Information

Patent Citations

  • Closing device for projected window and projected window using the same

    JP2016089571A