Screw locking tool and heater device using the same

Abstract

To provide a screw locking tool capable of exhibiting a high locking effect even under a severe environment such as exposure to a high temperature, and a heater device using the same.SOLUTION: A coil spring-like winding screwing part 33 screwed to a fixing screw 10 is provided, the winding screwing part 33 is provided so as to be continuously screwed to a nut member 20, and one locking part 31a locked to the nut member 20 side is provided at one end part 31 in a form where a wire rod of the winding screwing part 33 is extended on one side. The other engaging part engaging with the nut member 20 side is provided in the other end part 32 in which the wire of the winding screw part 33 is extended on the other side, and the winding screw part 33 is provided with a normal pitch coil part 33a provided with a pitch equal to the screw pitch of the fixing screw 10 and an enlarged pitch coil part 33b provided with a pitch wider than the screw pitch of the fixing screw 10 continuously from the normal pitch coil part 33a to the other side.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a screw locking device that includes a coil spring-shaped winding threading portion that screws onto a fixing screw, and is arranged in contact with one end of a nut member that screws onto the fixing screw so that the winding threading portion screws into the nut member after the nut member screws onto the fixing screw, and a heater device that uses the same. [Background technology]

[0002] An example of a conventional thread locking device is a locking device for fastening nuts, which is provided with a coil portion of a coil spring that matches the pitch of the male thread of a bolt that is screwed onto the nut, and which has a lower portion that extends outward from the lower outer periphery of the coil portion and has its tip bent upward, and an upper portion that extends outward from the upper outer periphery of the coil portion relative to the lower portion, and which forms an annular seat portion that is larger in diameter than the coil portion but smaller in diameter than the outer periphery of the nut, and which is bent from the upper portion and connected to a support that is parallel to the axis of the coil portion, and which is screwed into the male thread groove of the bolt, thereby bringing the seat portion into contact with the upper surface of the nut (see Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2021-120591 A (Page 1) Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The problem to be solved with regard to thread locking devices and heater devices using them is that conventional locking devices for fastening nuts (thread locking devices) equipped with the coil portion of a coil spring are intended to prevent bolts and nuts from loosening due to vibration or external force, but are unable to provide sufficient locking effect under harsh environmental conditions such as exposure to high temperatures. Also, since heater devices (heating devices) are used in extremely cold weather, there is a large temperature difference between when they are heated by combustion and when they are cooled after combustion has stopped, and the repeated thermal expansion due to heating from combustion and contraction due to cooling when combustion is stopped makes it easy for threads to loosen.

[0005] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a screw locking device that can effectively prevent loosening even in harsh environments such as when exposed to high temperatures, and a heater device using the same. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention has the following configuration. One form of the screw loosening prevention device according to the present invention includes a coil spring-shaped wire winding threading portion that threads onto a fixing screw, the wire winding threading portion being arranged in contact with one end of the nut member that threads onto the fixing screw so as to thread subsequently to the nut member, the wire of the wire winding threading portion being extended on one side and having one locking portion that locks onto the nut member at the one end, and the wire of the wire winding threading portion being extended on the other side and having another locking portion that locks onto the nut member at the other end, and the wire of the wire winding threading portion being extended on the other side and having a normal pitch coil portion that is provided at a pitch equal to the thread pitch of the fixing screw, and an enlarged pitch coil portion that continues from the normal pitch coil portion to the other side and is provided at a pitch wider than the thread pitch of the fixing screw.

[0007] Furthermore, according to one embodiment of the screw loosening prevention device of the present invention, the one end including the one locking portion is provided with an expanded diameter winding end extension portion that extends from the winding threading portion so as to gradually expand in diameter, so that the one end is stably held in contact with the nut member.

[0008] Furthermore, according to one form of the screw loosening prevention device of the present invention, the other end portion having the other locking portion can be characterized by having an extension portion on the other end side that extends from the winding threading portion in the tangential direction of the winding shape and is then bent toward the nut member.

[0009] Furthermore, one embodiment of the screw loosening prevention device according to the present invention can be characterized in that the enlarged pitch coil portion is substantially the last winding portion on the other side of the winding threaded engagement portion.

[0010] Furthermore, according to one form of the screw loosening prevention device of the present invention, the one locking portion and the other locking portion are engaged with the nut member so that, when the winding threading portion and the fixing screw are screwed together, and when the winding threading portion and the fixing screw are released from their respective screw engagements, the position where the one locking portion is engaged with the nut member and the position where the other locking portion is engaged with the nut member are maintained without being displaced in the direction of approaching each other.

[0011] Furthermore, according to one embodiment of the screw loosening prevention device of the present invention, the fixing screw can be a tapping screw, and the nut member can be a speed nut in the form of a plate material bent in half so that it can be attached to the fixed member in a clip-like manner, and provided with a female thread-shaped portion.

[0012] Furthermore, in one form of a heater device using the screw loosening prevention device of the present invention, the screw loosening prevention device can be characterized in that, in a heater device equipped with a heat dissipation panel that is heated by the flame of a burner generated by kerosene combustion and dissipates heat, the screw loosening prevention device is attached so as to thread onto the fixing screw used to attach the heat dissipation panel by screwing. [Effects of the Invention]

[0013] The screw locking device and heater device using the same according to the present invention have the particularly advantageous effect of being able to provide a high level of locking effect even in harsh environments such as when exposed to high temperatures. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0014] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view showing an example of a screw loosening prevention device according to the present invention; [Figure 2] 2A to 2C are perspective views showing the front, top, and right side of the screw locking device of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 attached to a speed nut, which is an example of a nut member. [Figure 3] 3A is a plan view, FIG. 3B is a front view, and FIG. 3C is a right side view of the embodiment of FIG. 2. [Figure 4] FIG. 3 is a left side view of the embodiment of FIG. 2. [Figure 5] FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the embodiment of FIG. 2. [Figure 6] 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a state where the screw locking device and speed nut of the embodiment shown in FIG. 2 are attached to the heater device according to the present invention. FIG. [Figure 7] 1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the entire heater device according to the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0015] Next, examples of a screw locking device 30 according to the present invention and examples of its use in a heater device will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings (FIGS. 1 to 7).

[0016] In the basic form, the screw loosening prevention device of the present invention has a coil spring-shaped wire winding threading portion 33 that screws onto the fixing screw 10, and the wire winding threading portion 33 is arranged so that it contacts the nut member 20 at one end 31 so as to screw into the nut member 20 (for example, the female threaded portion 21 of a speed nut) that screws onto the fixing screw 10 (see Figures 2 to 6), and one locking portion 31a that locks onto the nut member 20 side is provided at one end 31, where the wire of the wire winding threading portion 33 is extended on one side, and the other locking portion 32a that locks onto the nut member 20 side is provided at the other end 32, where the wire of the wire winding threading portion 33 is extended on the other side.

[0017] In the screw loosening preventive device according to the present invention, the winding threaded portion 33 includes a normal pitch coil portion 33a that is provided at a pitch equal to the thread pitch (male thread pitch) of the fixing screw 10, and an enlarged pitch coil portion 33b that continues from the normal pitch coil portion 33a to the other side and is provided at a pitch wider than the thread pitch of the fixing screw 10. In the embodiment shown in Fig. 1, the normal pitch coil portion 33a has substantially three coil turns, and the enlarged pitch coil portion 33b has substantially one coil turn, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the number of turns can, of course, be set as appropriate.

[0018] With this screw loosening prevention device according to the present invention, by widening the spring pitch in enlarged pitch coil portion 33b of winding thread-engagement portion 33, the difference in the thread pitch of fixing screw 10 causes the spring wire to catch and generate an anti-loosening torque, thereby providing a high level of locking effect. That is, as shown in Fig. 6, at least the other side of the winding portion constituting the enlarged pitch of enlarged pitch coil portion 33b presses against one side of the thread of fixing screw 10, and the winding portion of normal pitch coil portion 33a continuing from enlarged pitch coil portion 33b presses against the other side of the thread of fixing screw 10, that is closer to the base of the thread, and this frictional force provides a high level of locking effect. Furthermore, if the pitch of the spring (the portion continuing from the normal pitch coil portion 33a of the winding thread portion 33 to the other side) is narrowed, the anti-loosening torque is small, and if the spring diameter is reduced without changing the pitch of the spring (winding thread portion 33), the winding thread portion 33 becomes entangled in the screw (the male thread of the fixing screw 10), and the effect of the present invention cannot be obtained.

[0019] Furthermore, according to the present invention, even in harsh environments such as when the heat dissipation panel 51 of the heater device 50 is exposed to high temperatures and the heat dissipation panel is deformed, causing the screws to become loose, the anti-loosening torque can still act effectively, preventing the screws from loosening and providing a high level of anti-loosening effect. This is because the other tip side of the spring, from enlarged pitch coil portion 33b, which is the other end of the winding screw-engagement portion 33, to the other locking portion 32a, is in cooled air, so even when used in a high-temperature area, the spring effect does not deteriorate, the anti-loosening torque can be maintained, and a high level of anti-loosening effect can be provided.

[0020] In the embodiment of the screw loosening prevention device according to the present invention shown in Figure 1, one end 31, which has one locking portion 31a, is provided with an expanded diameter winding end extension portion 31b that extends from the winding screw-engagement portion 33 so as to gradually expand in diameter, so that one end 31 can be stably held in contact with the nut member 20.

[0021] 3(a), the expanded diameter winding end extension 31b of this embodiment has a curved shape in which the radius of curvature increases for approximately half the circumference from the normal-pitch coil portion 33a of the winding screw portion 33 toward one end of the wire, and then extends linearly in a direction gradually away from the center of the coil winding, with its tip end portion being bent so as to engage with the nut member 20, thereby forming one of the engaging portions 31a. More specifically, the expanded diameter winding end extension 31b of this embodiment is composed of a curved portion with an increasing radius of curvature, a portion that simply has an enlarged diameter, a portion that extends linearly from that portion, and a tip end portion that engages with the nut member 20. The present invention is not limited to this, and the shape of the expanded diameter winding end extension 31b may be selected as appropriate, for example, by further extending the portion that simply has an enlarged diameter, thereby improving contact stability when attached to the nut member 20.

[0022] 1, the other end 32, which includes the other locking portion 32a, is provided with an extension portion 32b on the other end side, which extends tangentially from the winding screw-engagement portion 33 and is then bent toward the nut member 20. More specifically, the extension portion 32b on the other end side in this embodiment includes a portion that extends linearly in the tangential direction from the last winding constituting the enlarged pitch coil portion 33b, and a portion that is subsequently bent substantially at a right angle toward the tip side and extends linearly (substantially parallel to the axis of the winding screw-engagement portion 33), and the tip side portion is further bent so as to lock onto the nut member 20, thereby forming the other locking portion 32a. The extension portion 32b on the other end side in this embodiment is in the shape of a hook formed by two straight sides having a required length approximately equal to the length of the coil of the winding screw-engagement portion 33, and has a shape that has appropriate rigidity.

[0023] This other-end extension 32b is formed by the other end 32 of the spring wire extending from the end of the enlarged-pitch coil portion 33b, which is the other end of the winding threaded portion 33, to the portion that constitutes the other locking portion 32a. Because it is in cooled air, even when used in high-temperature areas, the spring effect is not deteriorated, the anti-loosening torque can be maintained, and a high locking effect can be achieved. For example, in the heater device shown in Figures 6 and 7, the heat dissipation panel 51 becomes hot, which could cause the spring effect of the screw locking device 30 to deteriorate. However, because the spring tip (the other-end extension 32b) is in cooled air, it is not exposed to high temperatures and its spring effect is not deteriorated. Furthermore, because it is cooled as described above, it is possible to prevent the screw locking device 30 from seizing onto the fixing screw 10.

[0024] Furthermore, in this embodiment, enlarged pitch coil portion 33b is essentially the last winding on the other side of winding screw-engagement portion 33. As a result, as shown in Fig. 6, the last winding constituting the enlarged pitch of enlarged pitch coil portion 33b presses against the surface of one side of the thread of fixing screw 10, and the winding one turn inside (on one side) the last winding constituting the enlarged pitch of enlarged pitch coil portion 33b (the winding portion of normal pitch coil portion 33a continuing from enlarged pitch coil portion 33b) presses against the surface of the other side of the thread of fixing screw 10, and the action of this frictional force can provide a high anti-loosening effect.

[0025] That is, this embodiment has the simplest configuration in which the coil pitch is expanded only in the final winding portion, yet provides a high anti-loosening effect. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, in addition to the expanded pitch coil portion 33b of the winding screw engagement portion 33, a normal pitch coil portion 33a and an expanded pitch coil portion 33b may be provided adjacent to the other end, thereby alternately providing the normal pitch coil portion 33a and the expanded pitch coil portion 33b as appropriate. This configuration generates the aforementioned pressure contact action multiple times due to the relationship between the normal pitch coil portion 33a and the expanded pitch coil portion 33b, thereby achieving a higher anti-loosening effect. Of course, the configuration in which the normal pitch coil portion 33a and the expanded pitch coil portion 33b are added is subject to constraints due to the length of the threaded portion of the fixing screw 10 and the installation space available for the fixing screw 10.

[0026] In this embodiment, the fixing screw 10 is a tapping screw as shown in FIG. 6, and the nut member 20 is a speed nut in the form of a plate material bent in half so that it can be attached to the fixed member (for example, the main body mounting frame portion 52d) in a clip-like manner as shown in FIGS. 2 to 6, and is provided with a female threaded portion 21 (see FIG. 2).

[0027] According to this embodiment, by adding a spring-based locking component (screw locking device 30 of the present invention) to a speed nut, which is an example of a nut member 20, a locking torque is constantly generated even when a tapping screw, which is an example of a fixing screw 10, is in a loosened state, resulting in a female screw set that will not loosen even with repeated operation. That is, this female screw set that locks loosening uses a coil spring and is based on a spring diameter and pitch that match the screw pitch, but in this embodiment, by setting the pitch of one turn at the tip on the other end of the coil spring wider, the difference with the thread pitch of the fixing screw 10 causes the spring to catch and generate a locking torque.

[0028] Furthermore, the processing of the spring to manufacture this type of coil spring-based thread locking device 30 does not require a mold, and can be produced inexpensively using a regular spring processing machine. Although the assembly process increases slightly due to the labor required to attach thread locking device 30 to the speed nut, no special considerations such as alignment adjustment are required, making the process easy.

[0029] In contrast, in the past, when fixing a radiator panel of a Bright Heater (registered trademark), which is an example of a heater device 50 as shown in FIG. 7, the fixing screws 10 (tapping screws in this example) used for fixing the panel could loosen with repeated operation. This is thought to be because, in a high-temperature environment, even if a toothed washer or the like is used, the radiator panel or the like can thermally deform, causing the fixing screws 10 to lift, which could prevent the locking mechanism from functioning properly. Furthermore, because such Bright Heaters (registered trademarks) are used in extremely cold weather, there is a large temperature difference between when the device is heated by combustion and when it is cooled after combustion has stopped. This repeated thermal expansion due to heating by combustion and contraction due to cooling after combustion has stopped makes the screws prone to loosening.

[0030] Furthermore, in this embodiment, when the winding screw-engaging portion 33 is screwed into the fixing screw 10, and when the screwing between the winding screw-engaging portion 33 and the fixing screw 10 is released, the one locking portion 31a and the other locking portion 32a are locked to the nut member 20 so that the position where the one locking portion 31a is locked to the nut member 20 and the position where the other locking portion 32a is locked to the nut member 20 are maintained without moving in the direction of approaching each other. This means that the engagement of the winding screw-engaging portion 33 with the fixing screw 10 is maintained so as not to reach a tightened state that would hinder screw turning, and work related to screw tightening can be performed appropriately.

[0031] More specifically, in this embodiment, one locking portion 31a contacts one side of the speed nut, which is the nut member 20, from the outside, and the bent tip portion of one locking portion 31a contacts and hooks into a notched hole 22 (a slit-shaped through hole) in the bent portion of the speed nut from the inside, and is held in a locked state by utilizing the spring property (elastic force). Note that this one locking portion 31a is hooked onto and locked to the speed nut so as to prevent displacement both inward and outward.

[0032] The other locking portion 32a contacts the other side of the speed nut, which is the nut member 20, from the outside, and the bent tip portion of the other locking portion 32a is hooked onto the speed nut and held in a locked state. The other locking portion 32a is configured to be allowed to move in a direction that widens the gap with the one locking portion 31a (a direction that widens the angle between the one locking portion 31a and the other locking portion 32a). The method of locking the one locking portion 31a and the other locking portion 32a to the nut member 20 is not limited to this, and may be, for example, a form in which the end of a wire fits into a mounting hole provided on the side of the nut member 20.

[0033] In this manner, in this embodiment, one locking portion 31a and the other locking portion 32a are attached in a state of abutting against the respective side surfaces of the speed nut (nut member 20) from the outside, so that the position where one locking portion 31a is locked to the nut member 20 and the position where the other locking portion 32a is locked to the nut member 20 are maintained without moving in the direction of approaching each other in either case. Therefore, the engagement of the winding screw-engagement portion 33 with the fixing screw 10 does not enter a tightened state that would hinder screw turning, and the work related to screw tightening can be performed appropriately.

[0034] Furthermore, when the thread locking device 30 of this embodiment is attached to the speed nut (nut member 20), it is fitted so that the angle or spacing between one locking portion 31a and the other locking portion 32a is widened, and the biasing force of the torsion force of the coil screw clamps the speed nut (nut member 20) between one locking portion 31a and the other locking portion 32a, preventing it from easily coming off. Note that the other locking portion 32a is allowed to move in a direction that widens the spacing between one locking portion 31a and the other locking portion 32a, and when the fixing screw 10 is removed, the screwdriver can act in a direction that loosens the wire winding screw-engagement portion 33.

[0035] Furthermore, the screw locking device according to the present invention is attached to a heater device 50 equipped with a radiator panel 51 that radiates heat by being heated by the flame of a kerosene-burning burner, and is threadedly engaged with a fixing screw 10 used to screw in the radiator panel 51. As a result, as explained above, the radiator panel 51, which is exposed to extremely high temperatures, can be properly fixed by the fixing screw 10, preventing the screw from loosening.

[0036] An example of a heater device 50 according to the present invention is a bright heater as shown in Figures 6 and 7, the configuration of which will be briefly described below. In the heater device 50 of this example, a combustion device main body 52 is disposed horizontally above a kerosene tank 59 for fuel, a burner 53 is mounted horizontally so that a flame is ejected from the rear to the front, and a combustion air intake 52a is provided at the rear. Furthermore, inside the combustion device main body 52, insulation 55, which forms the combustion chamber 54 and also serves as a heat insulating layer, is held via a combustion chamber presser plate 55a and disposed horizontally so that the combustion chamber 54 expands forward from the flame ejection port of the burner 53.

[0037] The radiator panel 51, which is arranged to cover the outlet of the combustion chamber 54 provided by the insulation 55, is fixed to a main body mounting frame portion 52d (fixed member) provided on the front portion of the combustion device main body 52 by threading a fixing screw 10 into a speed nut (nut member 20) and a screw locking device 30. A spacer 56 is provided to maintain spacing to prevent excessive tightening of the insulation 55, and a safety protector 57 is provided on the front portion of the radiator panel 51 to prevent burns. A circulator 58 is built into the upper portion of the combustion device main body 52, and cooling air introduced through a blower air intake 52b provided on the lower portion of the combustion device main body 52 is discharged from a hot air outlet 52c on the upper front portion of the combustion device main body 52. ​​The flow of cooling air by the circulator 58 cools the screw locking device 30, maintaining the screw locking effect as described above. [Industrial Applicability]

[0038] The technical field in which the thread locking device 30 of the present invention can be used is not limited to the heater device 50 of this embodiment, but can be widely used in a variety of fields where fastening is performed with screws, as well as when other objects exposed to high temperatures are fastened with screws. Furthermore, the nut member 20 on which the thread locking device 30 of the present invention is set is not limited to a speed nut as in this embodiment, and it goes without saying that it can be set appropriately on all types of nuts.

[0039] The present invention has been described above in various ways using preferred embodiments, but the present invention is not limited to these embodiments, and it goes without saying that many modifications can be made within the scope of the invention without departing from the spirit of the invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0040] 10 Fixing screws 20 Nut member 21 Internal threaded portion 22 Notched hole in bent section 30 Screw locking device 31 One end 31a One of the locking parts 31b Expanded diameter winding end extension 32 other end 32a Other locking portion 32b Extension on the other end 33 Winding screw joint 33a Normal pitch coil section 33b Enlarged pitch coil section 50 Heater device 51 Heat dissipation panel 52 Combustion device body 52a Combustion air intake 52b Ventilation air intake 52c Warm air outlet 52d Main body mounting frame 53 Burner 54 Combustion chamber 55 Insulation 55a Combustion chamber retainer plate 56 Spacer 57 Protector 58 Circulator 59 Kerosene Tank

Claims

1. a coil spring-shaped wire-wound threading portion that threads onto the fixing screw, the wire-wound threading portion being disposed in contact with one end of the nut member so as to thread onto the nut member that threads onto the fixing screw; The wire of the winding thread engagement portion is extended on one side, and one locking portion is provided at the one end of the extended wire to be locked to the nut member, a second locking portion that locks onto the nut member at the other end of the wire that is extended from the other end of the wire-wound threaded portion, The winding screw engagement portion is a normal pitch coil portion provided at a pitch equal to the thread pitch of the fixing screw; a screw loosening prevention device comprising an enlarged pitch coil portion extending from the normal pitch coil portion to the other side and having a pitch wider than the thread pitch of the fixing screw;

2. 2. A screw loosening prevention device according to claim 1, characterized in that the one end having the one locking portion is provided with an expanded diameter winding end extension portion that extends from the winding threading portion so as to gradually expand in diameter, so that the one end is stably held in contact with the nut member.

3. 2. A screw loosening prevention device according to claim 1, characterized in that the other end portion having the other locking portion is provided with an extension portion on the other end side, which extends from the winding threading portion in a tangential direction of the winding shape and is then bent toward the nut member.

4. 4. A screw locking device according to claim 3, wherein the enlarged pitch coil portion is substantially the last winding on the other side of the winding threaded portion.

5. 2. The screw loosening prevention device according to claim 1, wherein the one locking portion and the other locking portion are engaged with the nut member so that, when the winding threading portion and the fixing screw are threadedly engaged with each other, and when the winding threading portion and the fixing screw are released from their respective threaded engagement, the position at which the one locking portion is engaged with the nut member and the position at which the other locking portion is engaged with the nut member are maintained without displacement in the direction of approaching each other.

6. A screw loosening prevention device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the fixing screw is a tapping screw, and the nut member is a speed nut in the form of a plate material bent in half so that it can be attached to the fixed member in the form of a clip, and which has a female thread-shaped portion.

7. A heater device using a screw loosening prevention device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the screw loosening prevention device is attached so as to thread onto the fixing screw used to attach the heat dissipation panel by screwing, in a heater device equipped with a heat dissipation panel that is heated by the flame of a burner generated by burning kerosene.

8. 8. A heater device using a screw loosening prevention device according to claim 7, wherein the fixing screw is a tapping screw, and the nut member is a speed nut formed by folding a plate material in half so that it can be attached to the fixed member in a clip-like manner and having a female threaded portion.

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