Retrofit seismic isolator
The retrofit earthquake isolator simplifies the mechanism by using a hook and string to automatically trip the switch during earthquakes, ensuring safety and ease of installation as an aftermarket solution.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- JP2024102520
- Authority / Receiving Office
- JP · JP
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2024-06-26
- Publication Date
- 2026-01-15
AI Technical Summary
Conventional retrofit earthquake breakers rely on a weight falling from nails during an earthquake to turn off the switch, which can be complex and potentially ineffective due to the weight's placement and operation.
The retrofit earthquake isolator uses a hook to support the weight, connected via a string to a cap covering the switch, allowing the weight to fall from the hook and pull the string to turn off the switch during an earthquake.
The isolator provides a simpler, effective mechanism for automatically tripping the circuit breaker during earthquakes, ensuring safety by maintaining the switch off until manually reset, and can be installed as an aftermarket solution without altering existing breakers.
Smart Images

Figure 2026004668000001_ABST
Abstract
Description
[Technical Field]
[0001] The present invention relates to a retrofit earthquake isolator in which a weight falls from a heaton during an earthquake, turning off the switch of the isolator. [Background technology]
[0002] The conventional retrofit earthquake breaker in Patent Document 1, Patent Application No. 2024-010983, has a switch (5) of a commercially available breaker connected to a weight (3) by a string (2), as shown in Figure 3, and the weight (3) is placed on two nails (8) attached below the string (2). When the weight (3) falls due to the shaking of an earthquake, the switch (5) is turned off. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]
[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent application 2024-010983 [Patent Document 2] Patent Publication No. 2004-296421 DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION [Problem to be solved by the invention]
[0004] The conventional retrofit earthquake breaker in Patent Document 1, Patent Application No. 2024-010983, is shown in Figure 3. The switch (5) and weight (3) of a commercially available breaker are connected by a string (2), and the weight (3) is placed on two nails (8) attached below the string (2). When the weight (3) falls due to the shaking of an earthquake, the switch (5) is turned off. However, we came up with the idea of using a hook (4) to make this even simpler.
[0005] Therefore, the retrofit earthquake isolator of the present invention provides a device in which the switch (5) of a commercially available isolator and the weight (3) are connected by a string (2), and the weight (3) is placed on the ring (4b) of an eyelet (4) attached below the string (2), so that the weight (3) falls due to the shaking of an earthquake, turning off the switch (5). [Means for solving the problem]
[0006] In order to achieve the above object, the retrofit earthquake isolator of the present invention is composed of a cap (1), a string (2), a weight (3), and an eyelet (4), and the cap (1) is placed over the switch (5) of an existing isolator, and the cap (1) is connected to the weight (3) via the string (2).
[0007] The eyelet (4) supports the weight (3) from below and is attached to the lower wall (6) of the existing crossing gate with a screw nail (4a), and the weight (3) is placed on the ring (4b) of the eyelet (4).
[0008] During an earthquake, the device shakes, causing the weight (3) to fall from the ring (4b) of the eyelet (4), pulling the string (2'), which causes the switch (5') to turn off, thereby achieving the objective. [Effects of the Invention]
[0009] The retrofit earthquake isolator of the present invention has the following effects. (i) Since it is an after-market installation, the circuit breaker can be used as is. (See paragraph 0017 for details) (b) In the event of an earthquake, the circuit breaker will automatically trip. (See paragraph 0012 for details.) (c) Even when electricity is turned on, the circuit breaker remains off. (See paragraph 0016 for details) (d) The switch operates with a light force. (See paragraph 0018 for details.) (e) The switch operates with a light force, so a light weight is sufficient. (See paragraph 0018 for details) (F) The lighter the weight above your head, the safer it is. (See paragraph 0018 for details.) (G) It is easier than conventional products. (See paragraph 0004 for details.) (H) Figure 2 shows all the components of a retrofit earthquake isolator, which is easy to install. [Brief explanation of the drawings]
[0010] [Figure 1] The figure is a perspective view of a retrofit earthquake isolator. [Figure 2] The figure shows a perspective view of all the components of the present invention. [Figure 3] The figure is a perspective view of a conventional retrofit earthquake isolator. BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
[0011] The retrofit earthquake circuit breaker of the present invention can be attached to all switches (5), but since the earth leakage circuit breaker is the main switch (5), we will explain how to shut off the switch (5). A cap (1) is placed on the switch (5) of the existing earth leakage circuit breaker, and a string (2) is attached to the cap (1), and the string (2) is designed to hang a weight (3).
[0012] The weight (3) is placed on the eyelet (4). When an earthquake occurs, the weight (3) falls from the eyelet (4), and the weight of the weight (3') pulls the string (2'). The pulled string (2') is transmitted to the cap (1) and pulls down the switch (5), cutting off the power supply as the cap (1') and switch (5') do.
[0013] When a major earthquake occurs, the electricity goes out, but there are problems when it is restored, and it is not possible to check the status of each house. The reason is that if the electricity is not restored quickly, there is a risk of damage to appliances such as refrigerators that have been turned off. However, when the electricity is restored, there is a risk of fires starting from fallen electric stoves, so earthquake circuit breakers are necessary.
[0014] The earthquake circuit breaker can be installed later, and requires only a cap (1), string (2), weight (3), and eyelet (4). The cap (1) is placed over the tip of the circuit breaker switch (5), and when it is placed over the tip of the switch (5) with adhesive or the like, the cap (1) is firmly fixed in place. The cap (1) is equipped with a string (2), which is placed between the cap (1) and weight (3).
[0015] The string (2) is about 30 cm long and is installed by screwing an eye bolt (4) into the wall (6) below the barrier. The eye bolt (4) consists of a screw nail (4a) for screwing into the wall (6) and a ring (4b) for supporting something. The ring (4b) is held and the screw nail (4a) is screwed into the wall (6).
[0016] This retrofit earthquake circuit breaker can be easily installed on the breaker or on the switches in each room, as long as the switch (5) is operated up and down. Even if the electricity in the area is restored, this retrofit earthquake circuit breaker is safe because the electricity in your home will not be restored until you return the weight (3') to its original position on the eyelet (4) and turn on the switch (5). In other words, you should check all the rooms in your home yourself before restoring the electricity. Example 1
[0017] The retrofit earthquake isolator of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Figure 1 is a perspective view of a retrofit earthquake breaker. The dotted lines marked with ' are the switch (5'), cap (1'), string (2'), and weight (3') that will be used after an earthquake. The retrofit earthquake breaker is installed after the fact and simply needs to be attached to an existing breaker, so the old breaker is not wasted. The existing breaker is 50 amps and is a standard household main switch. It measures 15 cm long, 10 cm wide, and 5 cm deep, with the switch (5) being 2 cm wide and 1 cm high, and the cap (1) fits over the end of the switch (5).
[0018] The cap (1) is attached with adhesive so that it does not come off easily, and is attached slightly above the base. The reason for this is that if the switch (5) is operated by about 2 kilograms, attaching the cap (1) will lengthen the point of action of the switch (5) by about 5 centimeters, so that it will operate at 1 kilogram. Therefore, using a lighter 1 kilogram object will cause less damage if it hits the head than using a heavy 2 kilogram object placed higher than the head.
[0019] The cap (1) can be purchased from the square pipe section of a Home Sanitizer store, and is made of plastic, 15 mm long, 25 mm wide, and 1 meter long, cut into 8 cm pieces. If not available, aluminum or other suitable material will do. Then, attach a Φ2 string (2) to the tip of the cap (1), insert it into the switch (5), and then fill the gap with gap adhesive. The string (2) should be non-conductive.
[0020] Under the existing barrier, there is a diaphragm (4) attached to the wall (6), and the Φ60mm weight (3) is placed on the ring (4b) of the Φ40mm diaphragm (4) and fixed in place so that it does not move.
[0021] The sinker (3) is a 50 gram float purchased from a fishing tackle shop, but because it wasn't heavy enough, I filled it with clay to make it about 1 kilogram. Also, because it was originally a float, it has a bright red or yellow color. Alternatively, when fishing in the dark at night, fluorescent paint is used, so you can also use a float painted with fluorescent paint.
[0022] When the weight (3) is removed from the eyelet (4), make sure that the switch (5') is turned off, then set it back on the eyelet (4). If it is not heavy enough, replace it with one that contains lead. In other words, mix lead into the clay and stuff it into the float to make the weight (3).
[0023] The eyelet (4) has a screw nail (4a) at the base, and the 50 mm long screw nail (4a) is screwed in 40 mm. The ring (4b) of the eyelet (4) is Φ40 so that the weight (3) does not roll, and the Φ60 weight (3) drops down about 10 mm to fix it.
[0024] The size of the ring (4b) is important; if the ring (4b) is small, it will activate at a seismic intensity of about 3, causing the weight (3') to fall and cutting off the power. If the ring (4b) is too large, it will not activate even at a seismic intensity of 5, and if the power does not go out even when an electric heater falls over, it may cause a fire. Also, electric heaters have a safety device on the bottom, but embers can get closer during an earthquake, so it is best to turn on the circuit breaker yourself and restore the power after the owner of the house has confirmed that it is safe.
[0025] Figure 2 shows all the components of this invention. On the left is the cap (1), to which a string (2) is tied, and the end of the string (2) is connected to a weight (3). The end of the cap (1) is filled with gap adhesive and fixed to the switch (5). Below that is the eyelet (4), followed by the screw nail (4a) and ring (4b), which are all that is needed to make a retrofit earthquake isolator. Example 2
[0026] An example of use will be explained below. The retrofit earthquake circuit breaker is usually installed in a high position that is difficult to reach at the entrance. Behind the retrofit earthquake circuit breaker is a 20 amp switch that distributes power to each room. The main retrofit earthquake circuit breaker is installed on the wall (6), and a heat ring (4) is attached below the ground fault circuit breaker.
[0027] The diameter of the screw nail (4a) of the eyeton (4) is Φ6, so it is impossible to screw it in as is. Therefore, a pilot hole of Φ4 mm is drilled, and then the screw nail (4a) of the eyeton (4) is screwed in while gripping the ring (4b) and rotating it, and the ring (4b) of the eyeton (4) is stopped at a parallel position.
[0028] A weight (3) is placed on top of the ring (4b) via a string (2) attached to the cap (1) of the switch (5). Next, the switch (5) of the existing earth leakage circuit breaker is raised and the switch (5) is turned on. Then, an earthquake occurs, the weight (3) falls from the ring (4b), and the weight of the weight (3') pulls the switch (5') down, turning the switch off, as shown in Figure 1 and the dotted line.
[0029] This retrofit earthquake isolator can confirm whether the main power is off or not by checking whether the weight (3) is on the ring (4b) of the eyelet (4) or has fallen off. Also, if the weight (3') of the retrofit earthquake isolator has fallen off and the power is cut off, even if the workers restore the power, the power will not be restored inside the house if the weight (3') of the retrofit earthquake isolator has fallen off. Therefore, even if the workers restore the power, the power will remain out inside the house, so you can feel safe even if you have left your home and are evacuating.
[0030] When the earthquake's shaking has subsided and you want to restore the electricity, check each room, unplug all the electrical outlets, place the weight (3') on the ring (4b) of the eyelet (4), and lift the switch (5') to switch (5). This will turn the electricity back on and restore the power. Then, while checking each room, turn the electricity back on one by one to check for any abnormalities such as electrical leakage. Then, plug in each electrical appliance and check that there are no abnormalities. Example 3
[0031] A detailed explanation of symbols and terms is provided. The cap (1) covers the circuit breaker switch (5) and slightly lengthens the length of the switch (5) so that it can be operated with a light force. A string (2) is attached to the end of the cap (1). The cap (1') represents the state in which the switch (5') is off. The string (2') transmits the weight of the weight (3') to the cap (1'), turning the switch (5') to the OFF state. Adhesive is needed to prevent the cap (1') from coming off even when it is facing downwards. The string (2) connects the cap (1) of the switch (5) to the weight (3). Because the string (2) is a part of an electrical appliance, it is not electrically conductive and must be strong enough to support the weight (3) weighing 1 kilogram. The string (2) is resting on the support (4) and is in a slack state. The string (2') represents the state in which the weight (3') falls during an earthquake, causing the string (2') to become taut. The weight (3') falls from the eyelet (4), causing the string (2') to become taut, pulling the cap (1') and turning off the switch (5').
[0032] The sinker (3) is a perfectly round float from a fishing tackle shop. Its shape is good, and its round shape means it is safe and has no sharp edges. It is also easy to see in the dark. It is made of plastic, so it is hollow inside and weighs 50 grams. The hollow is filled with clay, or if it is not heavy enough, with lead. The weight (3') represents the state in which the weight (3') falls from the eye bolt (4) during an earthquake.
[0033] The eyelet (4) has a screw (4a) at one end of an iron rod, and the other end, which is not threaded, is bent into a round shape to form a loop (4b). For example, it is the same as the screw with a loop that holds a ¬-shaped hook to a gate stopper. The screw nail (4a) is the partial name of the eyelet (4), and the screw nail (4a) is attached to the end of the eyelet (4), and one end of that has a ring (4b). Because it is a ring (4b), an impact wrench cannot be used. Therefore, in order to grasp the ring (4b) and screw in the Φ6 screw nail (4a) in that place, it is necessary to drill a pilot hole Φ3. The ring (4b) is the name of a part of the eyelet (4), and a screw nail (4a) is attached to the end of the ring (4b). The size of the ring (4b) is important. If the size of the weight (3) is Φ60 and the size of the ring (4b) is Φ30, the weight (3) will be 4 mm lowered, the estimated seismic intensity will be about 4, and the weight (3) will fall from the ring (4b) of the eyelet (4). If the size of the ring (4b) is Φ50, the weight (3) will be 15 mm lowered, the estimated seismic intensity will be about 5 or higher, and the weight (3) will fall from the ring (4b) of the eyelet (4). Switch (5) is a circuit breaker switch (5) that responds within 0.1 seconds in the event of a power leak, but does not respond in the event of an earthquake due to a power outage. Therefore, when the power is restored, it is necessary to check the condition of the house before turning on the circuit breaker switch (5). The switch (5') was in the position where the weight (3') fell from the support (4) during the earthquake, and the weight of the weight (3') turned off the earth leakage breaker switch (5').
[0034] The wall (6) is preferably made of wood, but if it is made of earth, the breaker is attached to a wooden board as an aftermarket earthquake breaker. The cord (7) at the top of Figure 1 is the electrical inlet, and the cord (7) below the circuit breaker is connected to the breakers in each room. If screws are used for the nails (8), they can be easily inserted and removed. The spacing between the nails (8) is also important, and should be determined according to the magnitude of the earthquake. Furthermore, the nails (8) are driven upwards and secured in place by the heads of the nails (8). [Industrial Applicability]
[0035] In addition to electricity, this retrofit earthquake isolator can also be installed in grocery stores such as supermarkets that have bookshelves and bottles lined up on shelves. When an earthquake occurs, the weight (3) falls and the curtain attached to the weight (3') comes down, preventing the books and bottles from falling, but considering the damage and its effectiveness, it is not necessary to go that far. [Explanation of symbols]
[0036] 1 Cap 2 String 3 Sinker 4 Eyelet 4a Screw Nail Ring 4b Ring 5 Switch 6 Wall 7 Cord 8 Nail
Claims
[Claim 1] The retrofit earthquake isolator consists of a cap (1), a string (2), a weight (3), and an eyelet (4). The cap (1) is placed over the existing circuit breaker switch (5), The string (2) connects the cap (1) and the weight (3), The eyelet (4) supports the weight (3) from below and is attached to the lower wall (6) of the existing crossing gate. The retrofit earthquake isolator is characterized in that the weight (3) is placed on the eyelet (4).
Citation Information
Patent Citations
Breaker shut off device
JP2004296421A
Post-attached earthquake breaker
JP2025116513A