Handrail

Abstract

To provide a handrail which has a top rail, a bottom rail, and a grid provided between them, and which prevents water from accumulating inside the grid.SOLUTION: A handrail comprises: a top rail and a bottom rail; and a grid extending vertically between the top rail and the bottom rail. The grid has front wall surfaces positioned front-to-back and extending left-to-right respectively, and a connecting wall surface extending from a position of the left of the lateral center of one front wall surface to a position of the right of the lateral center of the other front wall surface. A space section enclosed by the front wall surfaces and the connecting wall surface and opening toward an outer perimeter side of the grid is formed.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a handrail having a top board, a lower rail, and a lattice provided between them. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, handrails consisting of a top board, a lower rail, and a lattice between them are installed on the verandas of buildings. In many cases, each component is made of aluminum extrusions, and the lattice in particular is made of hollow components with a rectangular cross section, as shown in Patent Document 1, for example. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 4-108729 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In conventional handrails like this, rainwater accumulates inside the lattice (hollow portion), which can cause corrosion of the components. In particular, when corrosion progresses and pitting occurs, which creates holes in the components, the strength of the components decreases and the appearance is undesirable. To prevent this, drainage holes are usually provided in the lattice to drain water, but this increases the number of processing steps and can limit the design freedom due to the drainage holes, which is a problem.

[0005] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and aims to provide a handrail that has a top board, a lower rail, and a lattice installed between them, and that does not allow water to accumulate inside the lattice. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The handrail of the present invention comprises a top board, a lower rail, and a lattice extending up and down between the top board and the lower rail, the lattice having front wall surfaces located at the front and rear and extending left and right, and a connecting wall surface extending from a position to the left of the center of the left and right direction of one of the front wall surfaces to a position to the right of the center of the left and right direction of the other front wall surface, and a space opening toward the outer periphery of the lattice is formed between the front wall surfaces and the connecting wall surface. Note that the front-to-back direction of the lattice may coincide with the projection direction of the handrail. Alternatively, the front-to-back direction of the lattice may coincide with the projection direction of the handrail, or it may not coincide with either the projection direction or the projection direction.

[0007] In addition, in the present invention, the connecting wall surface may have a connecting middle wall surface extending so as to intersect with the front-rear direction, and connecting end wall surfaces extending in opposite front-rear directions from both ends of the connecting middle wall surface. Note that the connecting middle wall surface may extend in the left-right direction or may extend at an angle with respect to the left-right direction.

[0008] In the present invention, the connecting wall surface may be connected to the left and right ends of the front wall surface. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to the present invention, the lattice has front and rear surface walls and connecting wall surfaces that connect the surface walls together, and the space surrounded by the surface walls and the connecting wall surfaces opens toward the outer periphery of the lattice, so water does not accumulate inside, as in lattices made of hollow members. Furthermore, because the connecting wall surface extends from a position on the left side of one surface wall to a position on the right side of the other surface wall, sufficient strength is ensured to withstand loads acting in the front-rear and left-right directions.

[0010] Furthermore, if the connecting wall surface has a connecting middle wall surface that extends so as to intersect in the fore-and-aft direction and connecting end wall surfaces that extend in opposite fore-and-aft directions from both ends of the connecting middle wall surface, the connecting end wall surfaces that extend fore-and-aft will make the structure stronger, especially against loads acting in the fore-and-aft direction.

[0011] Furthermore, if the connecting wall surfaces are connected to the left and right ends of the front wall surface, air flows smoothly from the front and rear front wall surfaces to the connecting wall surfaces on the outer peripheral surface of the lattice, resulting in good drainage performance when exposed to wind and rain. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the lattice of the handrail of the first embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of drainage in a grate (view from the arrow A in FIG. 2). [Figure 4] An explanatory diagram showing the lattice and lower rail of the handrail of the second embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of a lattice of a handrail according to a third embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of a handrail lattice of the fourth embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0013] The handrail of the present invention is specifically described below. This handrail can be installed in various places, but here we will show an embodiment in which it is installed on a balcony of an apartment building to prevent falls.

[0014] A first embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3. In the first embodiment, the front-to-rear direction refers to the direction in which the handrail is viewed, and the left-to-right direction refers to the direction in which the handrail is viewed. This handrail is erected on a body B and includes multiple support posts 400 spaced apart from one another. FIG. 2 illustrates two support posts 400 and the area between them. This handrail also includes a head board 200 extending laterally from the top end of each support post 400, a lower rail 300 extending laterally from the bottom of each support post 400, and multiple lattices 100 extending vertically and arranged side by side between the head boards 200 and the lower rail 300 between each support post 400 (between two support posts 400 in FIG. 2). The support posts 400, head boards 200, lower rails 300, and lattices 100 are all made of aluminum extrusions.

[0015] The support 400 is made of a hollow molding material with a roughly rectangular cross section. A core material (not shown) extending vertically is inserted inside the support 400 (hollow portion), and the lower end of the core material is embedded in the frame B. The support 400 is then fixed to the core material with screws.

[0016] The head board 200 is made of a hollow material with a straight lower surface and an arched upper surface in cross section. The head board 200 is made of two parts, a straight lower part and an arched upper part. The head board 200 is placed on the upper end surface of the support 400 and fixed to the support 400 with screws.

[0017] The lower crosspiece 300 is made of a molded member having a generally U-shaped cross section that opens downward. The left and right end faces of the lower crosspiece 300 abut against the side surfaces of the support pillar 400, and the lower crosspiece 300 is fixed to the support pillar 400 with screws.

[0018] The lattice 100 is made of a profile member with a roughly S-shaped cross section. The cross section of the lattice 100 has a point-symmetric shape. More specifically, as shown in Figure 1, the lattice 100 has front wall surfaces 1 located at the front and rear and extending to the left and right, respectively, and a connecting wall surface 2 extending from the left end of the front wall surface 1 on the front side to the right end of the rear wall surface 1 on the rear side.

[0019] The connecting wall 2 has a connecting middle wall 4 extending from the left front side to the right rear side so as to intersect the front-to-rear direction, connecting end wall surfaces 3 extending in opposite front-to-rear directions from both ends of the connecting middle wall 4, and inclined wall surfaces 7 connected to the tips of each connecting end wall surface 3. More specifically, the connecting end wall surface 3 extending toward the front side is connected to the front end (left end) of the connecting middle wall 4. The inclined wall surface 7 extending toward the right front side is connected to the front end of this connecting end wall surface 3. The left end of the front surface wall 1 on the front side is connected to the front end (right end) of this inclined wall surface 7. Furthermore, the connecting end wall surface 3 extending toward the rear side is connected to the rear end (right end) of the connecting middle wall 4. The inclined wall surface 7 extending toward the left rear side is connected to the rear end of this connecting end wall surface 3. The right end of the rear surface wall 1 on the rear side is connected to the rear end (left end) of this inclined wall surface 7. The front-to-rear length of the connecting end wall surface 3 is shorter than the front-to-rear length of the intermediate connecting wall surface 4, and the connecting end wall surfaces 3 are spaced apart from each other in the front-to-rear direction. In this way, from the front side, the front wall surface 1, the inclined wall surface 7, the connecting end wall surface 3, the intermediate connecting wall surface 4, the connecting end wall surface 3, the inclined wall surface 7, and the front wall surface 1 are connected together to form a substantially S-shape.

[0020] Further, in front of the connecting intermediate wall surface 4, a space 6 (front space 6) is formed which is surrounded by the front front wall surface 1 and the connecting wall surface 2 (front inclined wall surface 7, front connecting end wall surface 3, and connecting intermediate wall surface 4). This front space 6 opens toward the right side, which is the outer periphery of the lattice 100. Furthermore, in rear of the connecting intermediate wall surface 4, a space 6 (rear space 6) is formed which is surrounded by the rear front wall surface 1 and the connecting wall surface 2 (rear inclined wall surface 7, rear connecting end wall surface 3, and connecting intermediate wall surface 4). This rear space 6 opens toward the left side, which is the outer periphery of the lattice 100.

[0021] The lattice 100 also has tapping holes 5 formed facing the front and rear spaces 6. The front tapping hole 5 has a substantially C-shaped cross section formed by a tip projection 51 extending in a substantially semicircular arc from the right end of the front surface wall 1 toward the rear, a base projection 52 projecting toward the rear from the middle of the front surface wall 1 in the left-right direction, and a portion of the front surface wall 1 (the portion between the tip projection 51 and the base projection 52). The tip of the tip projection 51 faces left. The gap between the tips of the tip projection 51 and the base projection 52 is the opening of the tapping hole 5, and the front tapping hole 5 opens toward the rear left, i.e., toward the connecting middle wall 4 of the connecting wall 2. The rear tapping hole 5 is formed point-symmetrically with the front tapping hole 5. The tapping holes 5 are located at the front right and rear left corners of the lattice 100.

[0022] The left side of the front connecting end wall surface 3 and the left end of the rear tapping hole 5 are aligned in the left-right direction. That is, the front connecting end wall surface 3 is located at the left end of the lattice 100. Similarly, the right side of the rear connecting end wall surface 3 and the right end of the front tapping hole 5 are aligned in the left-right direction. That is, the rear connecting end wall surface 3 is located at the right end of the lattice 100.

[0023] The upper and lower ends of the lattice 100 formed in this manner are fixed to the head board 200 and the lower crosspiece 300, respectively. That is, the upper end face of the lattice 100 abuts against the lower face of the head board 200 and is screwed to the head board 200. Also, the lower end face of the lattice 100 abuts against the upper face of the lower crosspiece 300 and is screwed to the lower crosspiece 300. Screws 500 are threaded through holes formed in the head board 200 or the lower crosspiece 300 and into tapping holes 5 of the lattice 100 (FIG. 3 shows the fixed portion between the lattice 100 and the lower crosspiece 300).

[0024] In the handrail of the first embodiment, the front and rear wall surfaces 1 of the lattice 100 are the visible surfaces of the lattice 100, and the left and right connecting end wall surfaces 3 of the lattice 100 are the visible surfaces of the lattice 100. In addition, the space 6 opens in the visible direction.

[0025] According to the handrail of the first embodiment configured as described above, the lattice 100 has front and rear surface walls 1 and connecting wall surfaces 2 connecting the front wall surfaces 1 to each other. The space 6 surrounded by the front wall surfaces 1 and connecting wall surfaces 2 opens toward the outer periphery of the lattice 100, preventing water from accumulating inside, as is the case with lattices made of hollow members. That is, as shown in FIG. 3 , water is discharged from the front and rear space portions 6 toward the right and left sides of the opening (shown by the white arrows in the figure). In particular, because the connecting wall surfaces 2 connect to the left and right ends of the front wall surface 1, air flows smoothly from the front and rear surface walls 1 to the connecting wall surfaces 2 on the outer periphery of the lattice 100, providing excellent drainage performance when exposed to wind and rain. Furthermore, the connecting wall surface 2 extends from the left end of the front surface wall 1 to the right end of the rear surface wall 1. That is, the connecting wall surface 2 crosses the lattice 100 from the front left end to the rear right end, ensuring sufficient strength against loads acting in the front-to-back and left-to-right directions. The connecting wall surfaces 2 have connecting end wall surfaces 3 located at the front and rear and extending in the front-rear direction. Having a long portion in the front-rear direction increases the second moment of area around the left-right axis, resulting in greater strength, particularly against loads acting in the front-rear direction. The connecting end wall surfaces 3 are spaced apart from each other in the front-rear direction. Having portions spaced apart from each other in the front-rear direction increases the second moment of area around the left-right axis, resulting in greater strength, particularly against loads acting in the front-rear direction. The connecting end wall surfaces 3 are located at the left and right ends of the lattice 100. Having portions spaced apart from each other in the front-rear direction increases the second moment of area around the left-rear axis, resulting in greater strength, particularly against loads acting in the front-rear direction. The inclined wall surfaces 7 between the front wall surface 1 and the connecting end wall surfaces 3 allow the airflow to flow more smoothly along the slope of the inclined wall surfaces 7 compared to when the inclined wall surfaces 7 are not present. Furthermore, the space portions 6 create unevenness on the surface of the lattice 100, which turbulently irradiates the airflow and reduces pressure resistance. In this way, the cross-sectional shape of the lattice 100 controls the airflow around the lattice 100, suppressing the generation of wind noise. Furthermore, by providing the space 6 that opens toward the outer periphery of the lattice 100, the lattice has a unique design with shades on the surface compared to lattices with a rectangular cross section, etc.

[0026] Next, a handrail of the second embodiment will be described. Compared to the first embodiment, the handrail of the second embodiment has the same shape of the lattice 100 but a different orientation. More specifically, as shown in FIG. 4, the orientation of the lattice 100 is different by 90° around the vertical axis compared to the first embodiment. Therefore, in the second embodiment, the front-to-rear direction is the facing direction of the handrail, and the left-to-right direction is the facing direction of the handrail. That is, in the handrail of the second embodiment, the front and rear surface wall surfaces 1 of the lattice 100 are the facing surfaces of the lattice 100, and the left and right connecting end wall surfaces 3 of the lattice 100 are the facing surfaces of the lattice 100. In addition, the space portion 6 opens in the facing direction.

[0027] The handrail of the second embodiment configured in this manner provides the same effects as those of the first embodiment. The first embodiment and the second embodiment can be freely selected in consideration of design and the like.

[0028] Next, a handrail of the third embodiment will be described. The handrail of the third embodiment differs from the first embodiment in the cross-sectional shape of the lattice 100a. More specifically, as shown in FIG. 5, the front and rear connecting end wall surfaces 3 are longer in the front-rear direction, and the entire lattice 100a is also longer in the front-rear direction compared to the first embodiment. The front-rear direction length of the connecting end wall surface 3 is approximately the same as the front-rear direction length of the connecting middle wall surface 4. Similar to the first embodiment, the entire lattice 100a is approximately S-shaped and point-symmetric. Furthermore, compared to the first embodiment, the front tapping hole 5 has a longer tip end of the tip projection 51 facing leftward and a shorter base projection 52. As a result, compared to the first embodiment, the opening direction of the front tapping hole 5 is closer to the left and opens toward the connecting end wall surface 3 in front of the connecting wall surface 2. The rear tapping hole 5 is formed point-symmetrically with the front tapping hole 5.

[0029] The handrail of the third embodiment configured in this manner achieves the same effects as the first embodiment. Specifically, the space 6 surrounded by the front wall surface 1 and the connecting wall surface 2 opens toward the outer periphery of the lattice 100, preventing water from accumulating inside. In particular, the connecting wall surface 2 connects to the left and right ends of the front wall surface 1, allowing airflow to flow smoothly from the front and rear front wall surfaces 1 to the connecting wall surface 2 along the outer periphery of the lattice 100, providing excellent drainage performance when exposed to wind and rain. Furthermore, the length of the connecting end wall surface 3 in the front-to-rear direction is longer than in the first embodiment, resulting in a larger moment of inertia about the left-to-right axis, providing greater strength, particularly against loads acting in the front-to-rear direction. Furthermore, the lattice 100a has a tapping hole 5 formed facing the space 6. The tapping hole 5 has a substantially C-shaped cross section and opens toward the connecting wall surface 2. That is, because the tapping holes 5 open in a direction different from the opening side of the space 6, the screws 500 screwed into the tapping holes 5 are less visible from the outside compared to when the tapping holes 5 open toward the opening side of the space 6. In particular, in the handrail of the third embodiment, the opening direction of the tapping holes 5 is closer to the left-right direction than in the first embodiment, so the screws screwed into the tapping holes 5 are less visible from the outside and the design is better.

[0030] Next, a handrail of the fourth embodiment will be described. The handrail of the fourth embodiment differs from the handrail of the first embodiment in the cross-sectional shape of the lattice 100b. The cross section of the lattice 100b has a point-symmetric shape. More specifically, as shown in FIG. 6, the lattice 100b has front wall surfaces 1 located at the front and rear and extending left and right, respectively, and a connecting wall surface 2 extending from a position in the left-right middle of the front wall surface 1 to a position in the right-left middle of the rear wall surface 1.

[0031] The front and rear surface walls 1 are tapered toward both the left and right ends. However, the outer peripheral surfaces (the front side of the front surface wall 1 and the rear side of the rear surface wall 1) are parallel to the left-right direction, while the inner peripheral surfaces (the rear side of the front surface wall 1 and the front side of the rear surface wall 1) are inclined relative to the left-right direction.

[0032] The connecting wall 2 has a connecting middle wall 4 extending from the left front side to the right rear side so as to intersect in the front-to-rear direction, and connecting end wall surfaces 3 extending in opposite front-to-rear directions from both ends of the connecting middle wall surface 4. More specifically, the connecting end wall surface 3 extending toward the front side is connected to the front end (left end) of the connecting middle wall surface 4. The front end of this connecting end wall surface 3 is connected to a position left of the center in the left-to-right middle part of the front surface wall surface 1. Furthermore, the connecting end wall surface 3 extending toward the rear side is connected to the rear end (right end) of the connecting middle wall surface 4. The rear end of this connecting end wall surface 3 is connected to a position right of the center in the left-to-right middle part of the rear surface wall surface 1. The front-to-rear length of the connecting end wall surface 3 is longer than the front-to-rear length of the connecting middle wall surface 4, and the connecting end wall surfaces 3 are spaced apart from each other in the front-to-rear direction.

[0033] Then, on each of the right and left sides of the connecting wall surface 2, a space 6 is formed, surrounded by the front and rear front wall surfaces 1 and the connecting wall surface 2 (the connecting end wall surface 3 and the connecting middle wall surface 4). The right space 6 opens toward the right side, which is the outer periphery of the lattice 100b, and the left space 6 opens toward the left side, which is the outer periphery of the lattice 100b.

[0034] The lattice 100b also has tapping holes 5 formed facing the respective right and left spaces 6. The tapping hole 5 facing the right space 6 is the front tapping hole 5, and is formed with a roughly C-shaped cross section by a protrusion 53 extending in a roughly quarter-circular arc shape from a position right of the center in the left-right middle of the front front wall surface 1 toward the rear, and a part of the front connecting end wall surface 3. The tip of the protrusion 53 faces left. The gap between the tip of the protrusion 53 and the connecting end wall surface 3 is the opening of the tapping hole 5, and the front tapping hole 5 opens toward the rear, i.e., toward the connecting middle wall surface 4 of the connecting wall surface 2. The rear tapping hole 5 is formed point-symmetrically with the front tapping hole 5. The left side of the front connecting end wall surface 3 and the left end face of the rear tapping hole 5 are aligned in the left-right direction. Similarly, the right side surface of the rear connecting end wall surface 3 and the right end surface of the front tapping hole 5 are aligned in the left-right direction. That is, the tapping hole 5 is positioned in the center of the front and rear of the lattice 100b in the left-right direction.

[0035] According to the fourth embodiment of the handrail, the lattice 100b has front and rear surface walls 1 and connecting wall surfaces 2 connecting the surface walls 1. The space 6 surrounded by the surface walls 1 and the connecting wall surfaces 2 opens toward the outer periphery of the lattice 100b, preventing water from accumulating inside, as is the case with lattices made of hollow members. Furthermore, the connecting wall surface 2 extends from a position near the left of the front surface wall 1 to a position near the right of the rear surface wall 1. This crosses the lattice 100b from the front left to the rear right, ensuring sufficient strength against loads acting in the front-to-back and left-to-right directions. Furthermore, the connecting wall surface 2 has connecting end wall surfaces 3 located at both front and rear ends and extending forward and backward. Having a long portion in the front-to-back direction increases the moment of inertia around the left-to-right axis, thereby providing greater strength, particularly against loads acting in the front-to-back direction. Furthermore, the connecting end wall surfaces 3 are spaced apart forward and backward. By having separate areas in the front and rear, the moment of inertia around the left-right axis is increased, resulting in greater strength, particularly against loads acting in the front-to-rear direction. Furthermore, the lattice 100b has tapping holes 5 formed facing the space 6, which have a roughly C-shaped cross section and open toward the connecting wall surface 2. That is, since the tapping holes 5 open in a direction different from the opening side of the space 6, the screws threaded into the tapping holes 5 are less visible from the outside than when the tapping holes 5 open toward the opening side of the space 6, resulting in a more aesthetically pleasing design. Furthermore, the space 6 creates irregularities on the surface of the lattice 100b, which turbulently increases the airflow and reduces pressure resistance. Thus, the cross-sectional shape of the lattice 100b controls the airflow around the lattice 100b, suppressing wind noise. Furthermore, the space 6 opening toward the outer periphery of the lattice 100b provides a unique design with shading on the surface compared to lattices with a rectangular cross section, etc.

[0036] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and the shape and structure of each part can be modified as appropriate within the spirit of the invention, taking into consideration the installation location and design requirements. For example, the front-to-back direction of the lattice may be different from both the front and rear directions of the handrail. Furthermore, the front wall surfaces and connecting wall surfaces that make up the lattice do not have to extend linearly, but may extend curvedly. Furthermore, the shapes of the posts, fascia, and lower rails may be any shape. [Explanation of symbols]

[0037] 1 Front wall 2 Connecting wall 3 Connection end wall 4 Connecting wall 6 Space 100 grids 200 Kasagi 300 Lower rail

Claims

1. A roofing board and a lower rail, and a lattice extending vertically between the roofing board and the lower rail, A handrail characterized in that the lattice has front wall surfaces located at the front and back and extending left and right, and a connecting wall surface extending from a position to the left of the center of the left and right of one of the front wall surfaces to a position to the right of the center of the left and right of the other front wall surface, and a space portion is formed that is surrounded by the front wall surfaces and opens toward the outer periphery of the lattice.

2. A handrail as described in claim 1, characterized in that the connecting wall surface has a connecting middle wall surface extending so as to intersect the front-to-back direction, and connecting end wall surfaces extending in opposite front-to-back directions from both ends of the connecting middle wall surface.

3. 3. A handrail according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the connecting wall surfaces are connected to the left and right ends of the front wall surface.

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