Seismic fixture

Abstract

To provide a seismic fixture that is easy to install and excellent in stability.SOLUTION: A seismic fixture 11 is used, which includes a metal flat plate 12, an adhesive elastic sheet 21 provided on a lower surface of the flat plate 12, and two or more hook portions 15 fixed to the flat plate 12.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a fastener that prevents furniture or equipment from falling over or shifting in position during an earthquake. [Background technology]

[0002] In the event of a major earthquake, furniture and large equipment may fall over or become significantly displaced. To prevent this, it has been common practice to hook one end of a wire to a fixture attached to the floor or wall, and then hook the wire to the legs of the furniture or equipment to secure it. For example, Patent Document 1 proposes achieving earthquake resistance by fastening equipment such as a computer to a base fixed to the floor below using a wire and a fastener that can expand or contract its length. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 59-010429 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, fixing devices such as those described in Patent Document 1 require a great deal of effort to fix to the floor, and once installed, they are extremely difficult to move from their location. Also, if a single wire is extended from one fixing device to the equipment to be fixed, there is a concern that depending on the direction of the earthquake shaking, the device may not be sufficiently fixed, and even if it does not fall over, the equipment may shake significantly and become displaced.

[0005] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an earthquake-resistant fastener that is easy to install and has excellent stability. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] This invention is A metal plate and an adhesive elastic sheet provided on the lower surface of the flat plate; Two or more hooks fixed to the flat plate; The above problem was solved by the first solution, which is an earthquake-resistant fastener having the above structure.

[0007] In addition to the first solution, the present invention also provides: A second solution can be adopted in which the flat plate has a bent portion, and two of the hook portions are provided on either side of the bent portion.

[0008] Furthermore, in addition to the first or second solving means, the present invention provides: One or more wires hung on the hook portions; an adjustment tool for adjusting the length of the wire; A third solution can be adopted, which has the following structure:

[0009] Furthermore, the present invention uses a fixture according to the third solution having a line of symmetry, The legs of the equipment to be fixed are arranged on the extension of the line of symmetry, The method of fixing the device can be selected by connecting a total of two or more wires hung from two or more of the hook portions to the leg parts to fix the device. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] When using the fixture of this invention, the adhesive elastic sheet secures it to the floor, eliminating the need for irreversible work such as drilling holes or screwing into the floor. It can also be removed from the floor and reattached when no longer needed or when repositioning is desired. Furthermore, the adhesive elastic sheet between the flat plate and the floor provides a vibration-damping effect against minute vibrations. Furthermore, because the equipment to be fixed is secured via a wire, vibrations from the fixture itself have almost no effect on the equipment, resulting in a high level of safety.

[0011] Furthermore, because two or more hooks are used to connect the legs of the equipment to be fixed with two wires, one of the two wires can be sufficiently fastened to the legs of the equipment regardless of the direction of the shaking. By providing two wires, it is possible to provide some slack in the tension of each hook wire, and since the wires can absorb the shaking rather than being completely integrated with the floor, it not only provides earthquake resistance but also vibration prevention, making it less likely that the equipment being fixed will be damaged. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view of an example of a use in which a fixture according to an embodiment of the present invention is fastened to a leg of a device or the like; FIG. [Figure 2] (a) Plan view of Fig. 1, (b) Front view of (a) [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 1 excluding the wire and adjustment tool. [Figure 4] (a) is a plan view of the embodiment of FIG. 1 when fixing devices or the like by arranging the fixing devices on all four sides, (b) is a plan view of the embodiment of FIG. 1 when fixing devices or the like by arranging fixing devices having rectangular shapes with the same flat plate area on all four sides. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the components of the embodiment of FIG. 1; [Figure 6] (a) Plan view of the embodiment of FIG. 3, (b) Left side view of (a), (c) Front view of (a). DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0013] The present invention is described in detail below. This invention relates to a fastener that secures furniture, equipment, etc. placed on the floor to prevent it from tipping over or shifting significantly during an earthquake. While there are no particular limitations on the size of the furniture or equipment to be prevented from tipping over or shifting, it is generally intended for items weighing 20 kg or more and measuring 30 cm or more in height. Specific examples include furniture such as shelves, measuring devices and experimental equipment installed in factories and laboratories, and servers and large computers installed in offices. Hereinafter, these items are collectively referred to as "equipment, etc." Among these, items with three or more legs at the bottom are most suitable for use with the present invention, as they can be hooked onto the wire 31 described below. However, even if the furniture or equipment does not have legs, it can be used by hooking the wire 31 to a rod-shaped portion.

[0014] The following description will be given taking a first embodiment of a fixture 11 according to the present invention as an example. An example of a situation in which fixture 11 is attached to floor surface F to secure equipment 1 is shown in Fig. 1 as a perspective view, Fig. 2(a) as a plan view, and Fig. 2(b) as a front view. Column-shaped legs 2 are provided at the bottom of equipment 1, and further below legs 2 is a panel 3 for dispersing pressure on floor surface F. As shown in the figure, it is preferable to install the main body of fixture 11 (shown in Fig. 3) adjacent to legs 2. This makes it easy to see the attachment position, and the effect of the wire 31 on the fastening is high. However, as long as wire 31 can reach, it can be installed up to about 1 meter away.

[0015] The main body of fixture 11 has a metal flat plate 12, an adhesive elastic sheet 21 provided on the underside of flat plate 12, and two or more hook portions 15 fixed to flat plate 12.

[0016] The flat plate 12 must be made of a metal or resin with sufficient strength, and is preferably made of a metal such as SUS304 or other stainless steel. It must be large enough to secure two or more hooks 15. There are no specific thickness restrictions, and it depends on the weight of the object to be secured. However, in the case of stainless steel, a thickness of 1 mm or more is preferable from the standpoint of strength, and 1.5 mm or more is even more preferable. However, thicknesses exceeding 1 cm are preferable in terms of strength, but they become too heavy and difficult to handle.

[0017] The overall shape of the flat plate 12 may be a simple rectangle or circle. However, if the flat plate 12 has a curved or angular bend 19 as shown in the figure, the legs 2 can be positioned inside the bend 19 and fixed as shown in FIG. 1 . This reduces the footprint required for the installation of the fixture 11. The reason for this is explained with reference to FIGS. 4(a) and 4(b). FIG. 4(a) shows fixtures 11 according to the first embodiment arranged and fixed on all four sides of the equipment 1. On the other hand, FIG. 4(b) shows fixtures 11a according to the second embodiment, each having a rectangular flat plate 22 with the same area as the flat plate 12 of the first embodiment, arranged and fixed on all four sides of the equipment 1. The footprints L1 and W1 in FIG. 4(a) can be smaller than the footprints L2 and W2 in FIG. 4(b), reducing the overall footprint. Therefore, fixture 11 has the advantage of being less intrusive than fixture 11a.

[0018] As will be described later, arranging the hook portions 15 so as to sandwich the bent portion 19 further increases stability. In the figure, rectangular wing portions 12b extend from the square base portion 12a at a 90-degree angle. The outer and inner corners may be chamfered, but protruding corners on the outer side increase stability by supporting the outward force. On the other hand, chamfering leads to a reduction in the space around the device 1, which is preferable in terms of placement.

[0019] The angle between the two wing portions 12b sandwiching the bent portion 19 is preferably about 30 to 150 degrees, and is more stable when it is closer to 90 degrees as shown in the figure. The shape of the two wing portions 12b does not need to be limited to a rectangular shape, but it is desirable for the length to be longer than the length of each side of the base portion 12a in order to improve stability. If it is too short, the contribution of the two wing portions 12b to stability will be insufficient. In the example shown in the figure, the length of the two wing portions 12b is about 1.5 times the length of each side of the base portion 12a.

[0020] An adhesive elastic sheet 21 is provided on the underside of the flat plate 12, i.e., on the floor surface F side. The adhesive elastic sheet has rubber elasticity with a predetermined rubber hardness, and it deforms when force is applied but returns to its original shape when the force is released. By having adhesive elastic sheet 21 with these properties interposed between flat plate 12 and floor surface F, it can absorb vibrations caused by earthquakes. Specific materials that can be used include urethane elastomer. As long as this effect can be achieved, there are no particular restrictions on the thickness, but a thickness of 1 mm or more is preferable. On the other hand, if adhesive elastic sheet 21 is too thick, the degree of deformation increases and flat plate 12 becomes less stable, so a thickness of approximately 5 mm or less is preferable.

[0021] The upper surface side of this adhesive elastic sheet 21 should be bonded with sufficient strength to the flat plate 12. In addition to the adhesive strength of the adhesive elastic sheet 21 itself, it may be bonded via a separate adhesive.

[0022] On the other hand, the underside of the adhesive elastic sheet 21 must have an adhesive surface with sufficient adhesive strength. It is desirable for it to be covered with release paper to prevent adhesion when not in use. When in use, the release paper is peeled off and the adhesive surface is attached to the floor F, thereby securing the fixture 11 to the floor F. This allows the fixture 11 to be attached without irreversible processing such as drilling screw holes in the floor F, and when no longer needed, it can be peeled off to return it to its original state. However, since the fixture is secured by adhesive, floors F made of uneven materials such as carpet are not suitable. While it can be used with wood-based flooring, care must be taken when removing it as it may peel off portions of the wood. If the floor F is tile, linoleum, painted floor, or the like, the adhesive properties are fully utilized, resulting in increased stability. Furthermore, by softening the hardness of the adhesive elastic sheet 21, it can be secured sufficiently even to concrete floors F.

[0023] The adhesive elastic sheet 21 can be used even if it does not cover the entire underside of the flat plate 12, but covering the entire surface provides higher stability. On the other hand, if the adhesive elastic sheet 21 protrudes from the flat plate 12, it will adhere unwanted objects and cause dust to accumulate. For this reason, it is most preferable that the planar shape of the flat plate 12 and the planar shape of the adhesive elastic sheet 21 are the same and overlap each other.

[0024] The hooking portion 15 is for hooking a wire 31 (described later) onto the leg 2 to connect it to the leg 2. It may be U-shaped with both ends fixed to the flat plate 12 as in the example shown in the figure, or it may be hook-shaped. In this invention, it is necessary to have two or more hooking portions 15 so that the wire 31 can be connected to the leg 2 from multiple directions. The attachment positions of the hooking portions 15 are preferably at least 30 degrees apart when viewed from the leg 2, and it is more preferable that the angle between the two wires 31 is approximately 60 to 120 degrees.

[0025] Furthermore, it is even more preferable that two hook portions 15 are arranged with a bent portion 19 sandwiched between them, as this improves overall stability. The most stable configuration is achieved when bent portion 19 is located exactly midway between hook portions 15, but the stability effect of bent portion 19 being sandwiched between hook portions 15 can be achieved if bent portion 19 is located on or close to the perpendicular bisector of the line that is the shortest distance between hook portions 15. In the example shown in the figure, bent portion 19 is arranged so that the interior angle of bent portion 19 is located near the midpoint between the portions of hook portions 15 that hook wire 31. Of course, as shown in FIG. 2(a), it is also preferable in terms of balance if the shape of the main body of fixture 11 is symmetrical across bent portion 19 (vertically symmetrical in the figure).

[0026] To secure the hook portion 15 to the flat plate 12, in this embodiment, a mounting plate 14 is fixed onto the flat plate 12, and the hook portion 15 is then secured to the mounting plate 14. The mounting plate 14 also preferably has sufficient strength and is preferably a metal plate made of stainless steel or the like. The flat plate 12 has a plurality of through holes 13, and the mounting plate 14 has mounting holes 16 at positions corresponding to the through holes 13. From the standpoint of stability, it is also preferable that the mounting holes 16 and the through holes 13 are positioned symmetrically across the bent portion 19. The mounting plate 14 is secured to the flat plate 12 by passing screws 17 through the mounting holes 16 and fastening them into the through holes 13.

[0027] In this embodiment, the flat plate 12 has screw holes 18 for fastening the hook portions 15, and the hook portions 15 are fastened by inserting back screws 20 through the screw holes 18 from the underside of the mounting plate 14. The order of fastening is preferably such that the hook portions 15 are attached to the mounting plate 14, and then the mounting plate 14 is attached to the flat plate 12, which has already been laminated with the adhesive elastic sheet 21. The relationship between these fastened parts is shown in the exploded view in Figure 5. Also, Figure 6(a) shows a plan view, Figure 6(b) shows a left side view, and Figure 6(c) shows a front view.

[0028] The fixture 11 body is tethered to the legs 2 with wires 31 hung on the hooks 15 to prevent the equipment 1 from falling over or shifting out of position. The wires 31 are preferably strong enough to withstand anticipated earthquake shaking without breaking, and are easy to use when they are made up of a metal wire 31 and an adjuster 32 for adjusting the length of the loop made by the wires 31. A specific example of tethering is shown in the embodiment in Figure 1. A wire 31 is hung on each of two or more hooks 15 and tethered to one leg 2. The leg 2 is positioned so that it is located on the bisector of the angle of the bent portion 19, i.e., on the line of symmetry L of the fixture 11 body. Tethering the legs 2 with a total of two or more wires, each connected to two hooks 15 on either side of the line of symmetry L, is preferable because it makes it easier to resist shaking of the equipment 1 from any direction.

[0029] Next, an embodiment of a urethane elastomer suitable for use in the adhesive elastic sheet 21 will be described in detail. A suitable urethane elastomer is obtained by blending a prepolymer obtained by reacting (A) a polyol component with (B) a polyisocyanate component, with other materials, including a curing agent. However, ordinary urethane elastomers have low adhesiveness and too high a rubber hardness, making them difficult to use in the adhesive elastic sheet of this invention as is. For this reason, it is preferable to use a urethane elastomer that has been improved, as shown in the following example, so that its rubber hardness is 0 or greater and 30 or less, preferably 20 or less. However, the blending is not limited to this, and it is preferable to use a urethane elastomer with a rubber hardness of 30 or less that not only has adhesiveness but also reduces adhesive residue upon peeling and can undergo rubber elastic deformation to absorb shaking forces. However, it is desirable for both to have high durability.

[0030] The (A) polyol component contains a polyol having a functionality of 2.4 to 3.0 and an average molecular weight of 3000 to 6000, and further preferably contains a secondary or tertiary higher monoalcohol as a tackifier as part of the polyol.

[0031] If the number of functional groups is greater than 3, the rubber hardness will exceed 30, making the adhesiveness insufficient. On the other hand, if the number of functional groups is less than 2.4, the composition will likely remain uncured. Also, if the average molecular weight is less than 3000, the rubber hardness will be too high and the adhesiveness will be too low. On the other hand, if the average molecular weight is greater than 6000, the reaction may not proceed sufficiently.

[0032] Such polyols include, for example, polyoxypolyalkylene polyols, which can be obtained by ring-opening addition polymerization of alkylene oxides using water or polyhydric alcohols such as ethylene glycol and glycerin as an initiator.

[0033] As long as the above physical properties can be ensured, the polyol component (A) may contain other polyols. Examples include known polyester polyols, polytetramethylene polyoxyglycols, castor oil polyols, ε-caprolactone polyols, β-methyl-δ-valerolactone polyols, carbonate polyols, etc. Two or more of these polyols may also be mixed.

[0034] Furthermore, secondary or tertiary higher monoalcohols may be added to the (A) polyol component to impart adhesiveness to the urethane elastomer. These monoalcohols are preferably soluble in the polyol that is the main component of the (A) polyol component. Examples include 2-ethylhexyl alcohol, sec-stearyl alcohol, α-terpineol, diacetone alcohol, and capryl alcohol. However, primary higher alcohols are not expected to significantly improve adhesiveness.

[0035] The amount of these higher monoalcohols used is preferably in the range of 0.5 to 10 parts by weight per 99.5 to 90 parts by weight of the main polyol component, out of a total of 100 parts by weight of the polyol component (A). If the amount of higher monoalcohol used is less than 0.5 parts by weight, the adhesiveness of the resulting urethane elastomer will be insufficient. On the other hand, if it exceeds 10 parts by weight, the average number of functional groups in the polyol component (A) will decrease, and the durability of the urethane elastomer may become insufficient.

[0036] The average number of functional groups of the (A) polyol component is preferably at least 2.4. If the average number of functional groups is less than 2.4, the composition is likely to be poorly cured, and even if a composition is obtained, problems may arise with hardness and the like.

[0037] Next, the polyisocyanate that is the main component of the (B) polyisocyanate component has two or more isocyanate groups that react with the hydroxyl groups of the (A) polyol component. Examples include tolylene diisocyanate (TDI), diphenylmethane diisocyanate (MDI), liquid modified MDI, xylidene diisocyanate (XDI), hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI), cyclohexyl diisocyanate, and isophorone diisocyanate. Among these, TDI and MDI are preferred. These polyisocyanates can be used alone or in combination.

[0038] Furthermore, the (B) polyisocyanate component can be reacted with the (A) polyol component in a less-than-stoichiometric amount using known techniques to form a prepolymer having terminal active isocyanate groups. Use of a prepolymer is preferred because it ensures the reaction between the polyol and polyisocyanate proceeds reliably, making it easier to obtain a homogeneous composition. These prepolymers should have a residual amount of terminal active isocyanate groups of 2% by weight or more, preferably 2.5 to 15% by weight, relative to 100% by weight of the total prepolymer. If the residual amount of terminal active isocyanate groups is less than 2% by weight, the liquid viscosity of the prepolymer increases, causing problems during the production of the composition. While there are no particular problems with a residual amount of terminal active isocyanate groups of 2% by weight or more, if it exceeds 15% by weight, the effectiveness of using the prepolymer as a prepolymer is reduced.

[0039] When the polyol component (A) and the polyisocyanate component (B) are chemically reacted, the equivalent ratio of the isocyanate group (NCO) of the isocyanate to the hydroxyl group (OH) of the polyol, i.e., NCO / OH, is preferably 0.95 to 1.05. If this equivalent ratio exceeds 1.05, the resulting composition will have poor adhesiveness and it will be difficult to obtain a composition with stable rubber hardness, while if it is less than 0.95, the resulting composition will lack heat resistance, which is undesirable.

[0040] Here, when carrying out the urethanization reaction between the (A) polyol component and the (B) polyisocyanate component, an appropriate urethanization catalyst can be used. Known catalysts such as tertiary amine compounds and organometallic compounds can be used as the urethanization catalyst. Suitable examples include triethylenediamine, N,N'-dimethylhexamethylenediamine, N,N'-dimethylbutanediamine, lead octoate, and dibutyltin laurate. However, the use of such a urethanization catalyst is not an essential requirement of the present invention.

[0041] Furthermore, while compositions composed of such polyurethane resins can be used as the urethane prepolymer as is, the following components may be added. First, a plasticizer can be added. This plasticizer can be mixed in an amount of less than 15 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of the total amount of the polyol and isocyanate as the main components. The hardness of the resulting soft composition decreases as the amount of plasticizer added increases. Therefore, the addition of this plasticizer makes it possible to control the hardness of the urethane prepolymer to some extent. However, adding more than 15 parts by weight of plasticizer can impair the mechanical properties of the composition, lower the heat resistance temperature, and increase the likelihood of bleeding due to the plasticizer. Applicable plasticizers include those commonly used for polyurethane resins, such as dioctyl phthalate, dibutyl phthalate, trischloroethyl phosphate, and trischloropropyl phosphate.

[0042] Furthermore, in order to improve the durability and stability of the urethane prepolymer, one or more of the following stabilizers may be used as a mixture, within the scope that does not impair the performance of the adhesive elastic sheet 21 required for fastener 11 according to the present invention: heat stabilizer, antioxidant, UV absorber, UV stabilizer, filler, etc. Furthermore, it is also possible to appropriately add other additives such as pigments, dyes, flame retardants, antifoaming agents, dispersants, surfactants, and moisture adsorbents.

[0043] The polyol component (A) and the polyisocyanate component (B) used as raw materials as described above are mixed at room temperature or in a heated state. When additives are added, they may be mixed with the polyol component (A) in advance or added when the main components are mixed.

[0044] The aforementioned components are thoroughly mixed, degassed under vacuum, and poured into a mold at room temperature to 120°C, where a urethane reaction occurs for 2 days to 2 hours at room temperature to 120°C. The mixture is then removed from the mold to obtain a flexible composition made of urethane resin that can be used for the adhesive elastic sheet 21. This is then attached to the underside of the flat plate 12 with an adhesive. [Explanation of symbols]

[0045] 1 Equipment etc. 2 legs 3. Panel 11 Fixtures 12,22 flat plate 12a Root 12b Both wings 13 Through hole 14 Mounting plate 15 Hook 16 Mounting holes 17 screws 18 screw fixing holes 19 Bend 20 Back screws 21 Adhesive elastic sheet 31 Wire 32 Adjustment tool F Floor L Line of symmetry

Claims

1. A metal plate and an adhesive elastic sheet provided on the lower surface of the flat plate; Two or more hooks fixed to the flat plate; Earthquake-resistant fixing device.

2. 2. The earthquake-resistant fastener according to claim 1, wherein the flat plate has a bent portion, and two of the hook portions are provided on either side of the bent portion.

3. One or more wires hung on the hook portions; an adjustment tool for adjusting the length of the wire; 3. The earthquake-resistant fastener according to claim 1 or 2, comprising:

4. The earthquake-resistant fastener according to claim 3 having a line of symmetry is used, The legs of the device to be fixed are arranged on the extension of the line of symmetry, A method for fixing an equipment, comprising connecting a total of two or more wires hung from two or more of the hook portions to the leg portion to fix the equipment.

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