Panel stand

Abstract

To provide a panel stand capable of facilitating the attaching / detaching work of a panel and stably holding the panel even at the time of use.SOLUTION: When the panel is not arranged in the groove portion, the connecting piece portion holds both the holding pieces in a posture in which the groove portion is gradually widened from a lower side toward an upper side, and when the panel is inserted into the groove portion, the connecting piece portion has elasticity so as to be deformable in a direction of closing the groove portion by bringing tips of both the holding piece portions close to each other by a weight of the panel.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a panel stand for allowing a panel such as a partition, a display panel for a restaurant menu, a poster, or the like, to stand upright on a floor, a table, or the like. [Background technology]

[0002] Panel stands are used to make partitions, display panels, and other panels stand upright. These panel stands support both sides of the panel to hold the panel vertically, and have horizontally extending legs that are positioned perpendicular to the vertically positioned panel.

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a panel stand that includes a holding component that includes a horizontal plate, a fixed clamping piece that stands upright on the plate, and a movable clamping piece that can be fixed to the fixed clamping piece with a screw. The panel is held in place by inserting the panel between the fixed clamping piece and the movable clamping piece and fastening the movable clamping piece to the fixed clamping piece with a screw.

[0004] Patent Document 2 discloses a panel stand that has a groove into which the bottom of a panel is inserted and supports the inserted panel from below. This panel stand is a transparent plate-like or sheet-like member made of, for example, acrylic resin or vinyl chloride. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Utility Model Registration No. 3233407 [Patent Document 2] Utility Model Registration No. 3238418 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] However, with this type of panel, the placement location may be changed as needed, and at that time, it may be necessary to detach the panel from the panel stand. However, the type in which the clamping pieces are fastened with screws, as in Patent Document 1, requires processing on the panel, and the attachment and detachment process is complicated. In contrast, the type in which the clamping pieces are inserted into grooves in the stand, as in Patent Document 2, is thought to make it relatively easy to attach and detach the panel, but if the groove width is made narrow to firmly hold the panel, it becomes difficult to attach and detach the panel, and conversely, if the groove width is made too wide to make it easy to attach and detach, the panel becomes unstable during use. Furthermore, due to the structure of the stand, the panel floats above the surface of the base, creating unnecessary space, and the center of gravity becomes higher, resulting in a lack of stability.

[0007] To provide a panel stand that can be used with an existing panel without processing it, that can easily attach and detach the panel, and that can stably hold the panel even when in use. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The panel stand of the present invention comprises a pair of clamping pieces arranged on the front and back surfaces of a panel, and a connecting piece that connects the clamping pieces together with a groove formed between the clamping pieces into which the panel is inserted; When the panel is not placed in the groove, the connecting piece holds the two clamping pieces in a position in which the groove gradually widens from bottom to top, and when the panel is inserted into the groove, the connecting piece has elasticity that allows it to deform in a direction that closes the groove by bringing the tips of the two clamping piece pieces closer together due to the weight of the panel.

[0009] When the panel is not inserted, the groove is wide, making it easy to insert the panel into the groove, and once the panel is inserted, the weight of the panel closes the groove and holds the panel between the clamping pieces. When removing the panel, simply lifting the panel removes the weight of the panel acting on the connecting pieces, and the restoring force of the connecting pieces deforms the groove in the direction that opens, making it easy to remove the panel. In this way, the panel can be easily attached and detached by inserting or lifting the panel into or out of the groove, which opens and closes the groove. Moreover, when the panel is inserted, elasticity acts in the direction of closing the groove, so the panel can be held stably. Furthermore, the structure is simple because the connecting piece is made of an elastic material and the groove can be opened and closed by deforming the connecting piece due to the weight of the panel.

[0010] In the panel stand of the present invention, the connecting piece portion has both ends fixed to the clamping piece portion, and when the panel is not placed in the groove portion, it has an upwardly bending portion between the two clamping piece portions, and when the panel is inserted into the groove portion, it can be elastically deformed so as to extend the bending portion flat. Alternatively, the connecting piece portion may have both ends fixed to the clamping piece portion, and when the panel is not placed in the groove portion, it connects the two clamping piece portions with a flat surface, and when the panel is inserted into the groove portion, it elastically deforms so as to curve downward.

[0011] In either case, when a panel is inserted into the groove, the connecting piece elastically deforms due to the weight of the panel, and the bending moment acting on the fixed end of the clamping piece causes the clamping piece to change its position so that it is raised, closing the groove.

[0012] In the panel stand of the present invention, the clamping piece portion is formed with a bottom surface that comes into contact with the ground when the panel is held in the groove portion, and the bottom surface is preferably provided with an anti-slip member.

[0013] When the panel is held, the anti-slip member on the bottom surface prevents it from slipping, preventing the panel from shifting out of position due to inadvertent contact, and allowing the panel to be held stably. [Effects of the Invention]

[0014] According to the present invention, the open groove is closed by the weight of the panel, so the panel can be held in place simply by inserting it into the groove, and can be removed from the groove by lifting it up, making it easy to attach and remove the panel, and while the panel is inserted, elasticity acts in the direction of closing the groove, so the panel can be held stably. In addition, existing panels can be used without any modification. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0015] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view showing a state in which a panel is held using an embodiment of the panel stand of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 2] FIG. 1 shows a top view of the panel stand (a) and a bottom view of the panel stand (b). [Figure 3] 2A is a front view of the panel stand of FIG. 1 in a state where it is not supporting a panel, and FIG. 2B is a front view of the panel stand in a state where it is supporting a panel. [Figure 4] 10A and 10B are front views of another embodiment of a panel stand, in which (a) is not supporting a panel, and (b) is a front view of the panel stand in which a panel is supported. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0016] An embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 1 shows a state in which a panel 2 is held by a panel stand 1 according to one embodiment. As shown in Figures 2 and 3, this panel stand 1 comprises a pair of clamping pieces 3 arranged on the front and back surfaces of the panel 2, and a connecting piece 4 connecting these clamping pieces 3, and a groove 5 is formed between the two clamping pieces 3 to hold the panel 2 in an inserted position.

[0017] Each clamping piece 3 is formed in the same shape, and its longitudinal cross section is a right-angled triangle with two sides arranged at right angles, with the corner between the hypotenuse and the other side cut off to an appropriate width. The overall length perpendicular to the side and hypotenuse is greater than the side. The surfaces of both sides are formed flat, with the plane formed by one side being the base surface 11 and the surface formed by the other side being the support surface 12. In the illustrated example, the hypotenuse of the triangle is not flat but is formed as a slightly concave curved surface. This curved surface is called the curved inclined surface 13.

[0018] The support surfaces 12 of the clamping pieces 3 are connected by connecting pieces 4, and are spaced a predetermined distance apart via the connecting pieces 4, forming a groove 5 between the support surfaces 12. The connecting pieces 4 are provided at both longitudinal ends of the clamping pieces 3, and both ends of each connecting piece 4 are fixed integrally to the clamping piece 3. The connecting pieces 4 are fixed at edges of the support surfaces 12 close to the bottom surfaces 11. In this case, both ends of the connecting piece 4 are fixed perpendicularly to the support surfaces 12 of the clamping pieces 3, forming "fixed ends," but the central portion in the longitudinal direction is formed with a bent portion 6 that is raised, and in a free state where no external force is applied, the clamping pieces 3 are inclined, i.e., the bottom surfaces 11 are inclined to follow both ends of the bent connecting pieces 4, and the support surfaces 12 are inclined upward from the connecting pieces 4 so that the distance between them increases.

[0019] The clamping piece 3 and connecting piece 4 are made of reinforced resin, such as nylon resin mixed with carbon powder, and are formed using a 3D printer or the like. The clamping piece 3 is formed in a block shape, and the connecting piece 4 is formed in a plate shape of a predetermined width. The connecting piece 4 has elasticity due to its material, and can be elastically deformed to a flat state by applying an external force from a state in which the central portion in the longitudinal direction is bent as described above, and will return to its original bent state when the external force is released.

[0020] When this connecting piece portion 4 is elastically deformed and made flat, both ends of the connecting piece portion 4 become "fixed ends," so that a bending moment acting on these "fixed ends" (counterclockwise bending moment on the right side of Figure 3(a) and clockwise bending moment on the left side) causes the two clamping pieces 3 to face each other with their support surfaces 12 parallel to each other, as shown in Figure 3(b), forming grooves 5 at regular intervals between them, and the bottom surfaces 11 are each arranged on a single plane. Furthermore, the connecting piece portions 4 are arranged flat on the lower edge portions of both support surfaces 12 that form the groove portions 5 so as to form part of the bottom surfaces of the groove portions 5, and their lower surfaces are arranged on the same plane as the bottom surfaces 11. In this state, the width of the groove portions 5 is the same as the thickness of the panel 2.

[0021] On the other hand, in a free state where no external force is acting, as shown in Figure 3(a), the connecting piece portion 4 bends and deforms so as to lift the center portion in the longitudinal direction, so that the groove portion 5 between the two clamping pieces 3 is narrowest at the part connected by the connecting piece portion 4, and the two support surfaces 12 widen as they move away from the connecting piece portion 4, and the groove portion 5 between them is formed so that it gradually becomes wider as it moves upward.

[0022] In addition, anti-slip members 15 are provided on the bottom surfaces 11 of both clamping pieces 3. These anti-slip members 15 are made of, for example, polyester resin coated with a chemically foamed polymer, formed into a sheet, and attached to the bottom surfaces 11 of the clamping pieces 3 with an adhesive.

[0023] The clamping piece 3 is not limited to the material of the embodiment, and may be made of other materials, such as ABS resin, PPS resin, wood, metal, etc., as long as it has the strength to hold the panel 2. Therefore, it is not limited to being formed by a 3D printer as in the embodiment, but may be formed by injection molding, cutting, etc. Furthermore, the connecting piece 4 may also be made of the above-mentioned elastically deformable material, and may be made of a leaf spring, etc.

[0024] Furthermore, the clamping piece 3 and the connecting piece 4 may not only be formed as a single unit, but may also be formed as separate members with both ends of the connecting piece 4 fixedly joined to the clamping piece 3. Also, although the connecting piece 4 is provided at both ends of the clamping piece 3, it may be formed in the shape of a strip having a width that closes the space between the clamping pieces 3, with both ends of the strip fixed to the clamping pieces 3. In that case, almost the entire bottom surface of the groove 5 is formed by the connecting piece 4. Furthermore, the clamping piece 3 may have a shape other than that shown in the figure, such as a rectangular column shape or a plate shape bent into an L shape along the bottom surface 11 and the support surface 12.

[0025] When the panel stand 1 configured in this manner is not in use, as shown in Figure 3(a), the connecting piece 4 is bent and the gap between the support surfaces 12 of the clamping piece 3 (i.e., the groove 5) gradually widens from bottom to top. When this panel stand 1 is placed on a base surface 8 such as a desk and a panel 2 is inserted vertically into the groove 5 that widens upward, the weight of the panel 2 presses down on the center of the connecting piece 4 below the groove 5, deforming it into a flat state, and as a result, both support surfaces 12 move closer together and come into contact with both sides of the panel 2, holding the panel 2 inserted within the groove 5. When the panel 2 is lifted, the weight of the panel 2 acting on the connecting piece 4 is removed, widening the groove 5 and restoring it to its original state.

[0026] In this way, the panel 2 can be held by inserting it into the widened groove 5, and the groove 5 can be opened by lifting the panel 2, allowing the panel 2 to be easily removed, making the attachment and detachment process extremely easy. Furthermore, when it is desired to adjust the position of the panel 2 after installation, simply lifting the panel 2 slightly will cause the bottom surface 11 to tilt obliquely, making it easy to move the panel on the base surface 8, for example.

[0027] In Figure 3(b), the panel 2 is inserted into the groove 5, so the width of the groove 5 is not smaller than the thickness of the panel 2. However, when the connecting piece 4 alone is pressed down without inserting the panel 2 from the state shown in Figure 3(a), the groove 5 between the support surfaces 12 of both clamping pieces 3 may be designed so that the gap therebetween is smaller than the thickness of the panel 2. In this way, when the panel 2 is inserted and held in the groove 5, the elasticity of the connecting piece 4 allows the support surfaces 12 to press the panel 2 from the left and right, making it possible to hold the panel 2 more firmly.

[0028] FIG. 4 shows a panel stand according to another embodiment of the present invention. In this panel stand 21, the connecting piece 23 connecting the two clamping pieces 22 is normally in a horizontally flat state as shown in Figure 4(a) when not holding the panel 2, and is configured so that when the panel 2 is held, it bends downwardly as shown in Figure 4(b) due to the weight of the panel 2. That is, each of the clamping pieces 22 has a support surface 12, a bottom surface 11, and a curved inclined surface 13, and a chamfered surface 24 is formed between the support surface 12 and the bottom surface 11. These chamfered surfaces 24 are connected to each other by a connecting piece 23. The connecting piece 23 is formed of a leaf spring or the like, and is fixed at a right angle to the chamfered surface 24, with both ends embedded in the clamping piece 22.

[0029] When the panel 2 is not in place, as shown in Figure 4(a), the connecting piece 23 is horizontal and the chamfered surface 24 is vertical, and the support surfaces 12 are arranged so that the distance between them gradually increases from bottom to top. The bottom surface 11 is inclined so that it gradually rises toward the connecting piece 23.

[0030] When the panel 2 is inserted between the two support surfaces 12 from this state, the weight of the panel 2 presses down on the connecting piece 23, bending it into a downward curved state. This causes a bending moment to act on both fixed ends of the connecting piece 23, causing both clamping pieces 22 to rotate, and both support surfaces 12 to abut against both sides of the panel 2. When these support surfaces 12 abut against both sides of the panel 2, the connecting piece 23 does not deform any further, and the flexible portion 25 supports the panel 2 from below. At this time, the bottom surfaces 11 of both clamping pieces 22 are arranged on a plane, come into close contact with the surface 8 of the base such as a desk, and are prevented from slipping by the anti-slip members 15 .

[0031] Although the embodiments have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the detailed configuration of the embodiments, and various modifications can be made within the scope that does not deviate from the spirit of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0032] 1 panel stand 2 Panels 3 Clamping piece 4 Connecting piece 5 Groove 6 Bend 8 Base surface 11 Bottom 12 Support surface 13 Curved Slope 15 Anti-slip material 21 Panel Stand 22 Clamping piece 23 Connecting piece 24 Chamfered surface 25 Flexure

Claims

1. a pair of clamping pieces disposed on the front and back surfaces of the panel, and a connecting piece that connects the clamping pieces together with a groove formed between the clamping pieces into which the panel is inserted; A panel stand characterized in that when the panel is not placed in the groove, the connecting piece holds the two clamping pieces in a position in which the groove gradually widens from bottom to top, and when the panel is inserted into the groove, the connecting piece has elasticity that allows it to deform in a direction that closes the groove by bringing the tips of the two clamping piece pieces closer together due to the weight of the panel.

2. The panel stand described in claim 1, characterized in that both ends of the connecting piece are fixed to the clamping piece, and when the panel is not placed in the groove, there is an upward bent portion between the two clamping pieces, and when the panel is inserted into the groove, the bent portion elastically deforms to extend flat.

3. The panel stand described in claim 1, characterized in that both ends of the connecting piece are fixed to the clamping piece, and when the panel is not placed in the groove, the connecting piece connects the two clamping pieces with a flat surface, and when the panel is inserted into the groove, it elastically deforms so as to curve downward.

4. A panel stand as described in any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the clamping piece portion has a bottom surface that comes into contact with the ground when the panel is held in the groove portion, and the bottom surface is provided with an anti-slip member.

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